Mαкε & Bяεαк
by Fruitloop-1
Summary: Kaoru had thought it was an exaggeration when it was said that the ICT Club members were crazy and lonely. Now it was proven that this was true. Because the second she walked into the room, they all stared at her, some even drooling. Good lord, what had she gotten herself into? (NarushimaxKaoruxButch)
1. Joining the ICT Club

**AN: ****Now, I've decided to challenge myself this summer to update this new story every week. Mostly because I want to do it for the heck of it and secondly, to get myself used to committing to completing stories because I have a horrible habit of leaving people hanging when it comes to writing. I'm not quite sure how many chapters this will have yet, perhaps around twenty or below.**

**So, because this is a challenge, I'm going to pull a hiatus on my other two on-going stories (i.e. 'A Secret Admirer' and 'The Other meaning of Chemistry'). Until I get this new story finished, I will not be updating any of my other stories (however, I may do a few one-shots, but we'll see later).**

**So, wish me good luck, guys! And if you guys are interested in doing this 'Summer-Weekly-Challenge' too, then let me know! I would love to read your stories!**

**By the way, this is an AU fanfic. No Powerpuff Girls Z…just humans.**

**Well, without further ado, here's the prologue…**

* * *

_**PART I:**__ Joining the ICT Club_

* * *

Kaoru didn't know what she was thinking when she actually listened to Dai's suggestion of joining the school's ICT club. Frankly, it had been suggested at the dinner table while everyone had been eating, and the mother of the family decided that it would be a good extra-curricular activity for her to participate in something which didn't involve art.

Apparently, the mother was also worried that her daughter was becoming transvestite and a recluse. But Kaoru thought that was probably just her mother's paranoia...

The father also thought it was a great way of socialising, but that was because he thought that there would be other girls. When Dai explained that the ICT club was filled with only males, the father almost had a heart attack. He was about to take back his point but the mother was already determined.

It was decided: Kaoru would be going to the ICT club.

Now, Kaoru had no problems with this (mostly because she realised she would get to replace certain classes with playing around on a laptop) and, to be honest, she was actually really good on the computer. She had hacked into the school mainframe several times thanks to the help from her older brother.

See, Dai used to be in the ICT club before he went off to university, and he had managed to teach his young sister a few tricks before he left. So, it was only obvious, he said, that she would follow in his footsteps and join the club.

Kaoru found it rather funny, though, considering her family was making such a big deal of this. She didn't mind since the club simply involved her sharing her ideas and experience with the other members and running technical errands for the school - this meant that she would be able to skip other classes too.

Bonus.

But now? Now she was beginning to doubt her (forced) decision to join the ICT club. She had thought it was an exaggeration when it was said that the members were crazy and lonely. Now it was proven that they indeed were crazy and lonely. Because the second she walked into the room, they all stared at her wide-eyed and slack-jawed, some even drooling.

Their reason? It was the first time they'd been this close to a person from the female species.

Seriously?

Kaoru thought that sort of thing only happened in the movies, or maybe it was just her school's ICT club that followed the stereotypes of nerds with computers and no social life.

But what she knew for sure was that the rest of her year in the club was going to be very different.

* * *

On Monday morning, Kaoru made her way to the Technology department for her weekly protocol that was required of the club. She walked into the head ICT room to find most of the members were already present, she found a vacant computer and kicked her scruffy messenger bag under the table before plopping down onto the seat.

It was a black swivel chair. Hmm, interesting. Kaoru twirled around a bit, adjusting the height - going up and down - and the posture of the back of the chair. This was proving to be a bit difficult when she almost flung herself forward into the computer, but she quickly rested the chair into a comfortable position.

She looked around to see what the other members were doing. The boy next to her was a reading a book, _'The Art of Exploitation'_ it seemed. She wondered if the book was really that interesting since he was practically engrossed in it.

Deciding to make conversation, she said, "What's that you're reading?"

He looked up, raising his eyebrows, "The Art of Exploitation? You don't know what that is?"

She shrugged, "No, but I will if you tell me."

"It's a new updated release of the original book. One of the best books for hacking and tweaking."

"Oh, hacking, yeah. You guys do that kind of stuff here?"

He snorted, "Of course we do. Do you know how to hack?"

"Like BackTrack and Google Dorks? Yes!"

"So you know how it works?"

"Uh...the basics. Just what my brother taught me, I guess."

He seemed curious, "Your brother's a hacker?"

"He used to be a part of the ICT club before going off to university this year. His name's Dai, you know him?"

He shook his head, "No, I only joined this year. But the others might. You're new here, aren't you?"

Kaoru nodded, "Yep, Dai's idea to join, actually."

He grinned, "I think I like your brother. My name's Boomer. You?"

"Kaoru."

"Nice to meet you, Kaoru. Welcome to the Hackerz Family."

"The...what? Hackers? I'm not really that much of a hacker..."

Boomer shrugged, "You'll learn."

The last three members of the club walked through the door, the one in the middle seemed important as, unlike the others, he stood at the front of the room, flanked at both sides by the other two members who were like bodyguards.

"Good morning, comrades," began the one in the middle, "I'm sure you are all aware of the new member who has joined us last week, Kaoru," he said, nodding over to her.

Kaoru gave a small smile in return then simply leaned back in her seat, listening.

"I'm Brick, the head of this club. Now, comrades, I would like to make an introduction to what we do here in our club to Kaoru," then he turned to the boy on his side, "Narushima, will you hit the lights and get the presentation ready?"

As Narushima turned on the projector and shut off the lights, the third boy came forward and leaned against a tall cabinet file then spoke, "I'm Butch, second in charge. The people in the school know us as the 'ICT Club', but frankly that's just bullshit."

"Wow, he's a charmer," murmured Kaoru sarcastically.

Boomer chuckled, "He's a straight-to-the-point kinda guy."

Butch was attractive, she'd give him that. In fact, very attractive. There was something in his figure that seemed so...elegant. But at the same time, he seemed forbidding.

"We're an elite team of professional or beta hackers. We call ourselves 'Hackerz'. We're known for running errands for the school and applying our knowledge to technical difficulties, but we also know that we have a gift for bigger things. We're programmers - we make. We're hackers - we break. It's the old rule of 'make it then break it'.

"Now, to become an actual hacker, you've got to be familiar with the works. The basics of programming is a must. By basics, I mean JavaScript, PHP, even simple HTML-coding can get you many places. To be a professional hacker, you've got to have the determination, the effort and patience to make it happen. You need to start off with programming, because, let's face it, you've got to learn how to make it before you can go and break it.

"Hopefully, we all know the basics of programming. If you don't, I highly advise you to begin now, or get lost," Butch paused and looked at Kaoru with narrowed eyes before continuing, "So, to get us warmed up, we'll be going over firewalls and the summaries of it," he clapped his hand together, "Take it away, Narushima."

Narushima came forward next, "Okay, guys, let's get started on firewalls. So, what do we know about them?"

Someone put their hand up, "It provides a filtering action for packets which it can accept or reject as oncoming and outgoing."

"Yes, that's right, Takaaki. Now, examples of where we can use them and why?"

Immediately discussion began and spread through the room as more people began to put their hands up. Kaoru would've joined the conversation too, considering she already knew about firewalls, but the glare Butch shot her was enough to make her look away and concentrate on the Da Vinci Code book that was peeking out of her schoolbag.

Goodness, was she really ready for the world of hacking? After all, she wasn't as familiar with hacking as everyone else in this room was. In fact, the only proper hacking she'd ever done was using Google Dork and experimenting with BackTrack with her brother, Dai. And she'd created a flimsy recurring virus before, but it could easily be destroyed with a restart of the computer.

Boomer interrupted her thoughts when he asked her, "I'm guessing you're not into porn?"

Silence.

"I'm just asking, you know...'cause you're a girl. Do girls watch porn?"

"...uh, I don't know. Some girls read Fifty Shades, I guess. But...I don't."

"Yeah, yeah. Books are okay. But I'm asking porn. Do you watch porn? Maybe hentai?"

Kaoru shook her head, "Uh...no. No, I don't."

Boomer sighed, looking disappointed, "Damn, that's too bad," then with one more shake of his head, he went back to reading his book.

Kaoru looked disturbed. _What the hell had she gotten herself into?_

* * *

Dai looked up from the desk when he saw his sister enter the bedroom, "Hey, sis. How did ICT Club, or should I say, the 'Hackerz' go today?"

_The Hackerz._ Of course Dai would know that name, he used to be a part of the same group last year.

Kaoru glared at him, "You didn't tell me it was all about hacking."

He snorted, "Well, what else did you expect?"

"Oh, I don't know. Programming, perhaps? Or just making stupid PowerPoints and fixing cables?"

He rolled his eyes, "Kaoru, that's so baby steps. Grow up, this is the real world. Of course it's going to be about hacking! But the main point is: did you enjoy it?"

She sighed, "Dai. The guy next to me asked if I'm watching porn."

He stifled a laugh, "Well, do you?"

She smacked him before replying, "Of course not, idiot! But what the hell am I supposed to do? You've sent me to some weird computer hacking group which is probably on the FBI's most wanted list and I'm surrounded by porn-watching perverts!"

Dai leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up onto the desk, "Actually, we already took care of the FBI problem last year," Kaoru looked incredulous, "And besides, they're not that bad. Sure, they watch porn, and that's probably the main reason why we hack, but then again, what kind of guy doesn't watch porn?"

Kaoru looked disgusted, "Look, I really don't want to have a conversation with you about porn. I just want advice and a good reason of why I shouldn't quit the club right now."

He raised an eyebrow, "They're all friendly people, no matter how...geeky and off-game they seem."

"Butch isn't that nice," she muttered, folding her arms.

"Butch? No way. You must've pissed him off. He's a great guy!"

"Dai! You're supposed to support me! And just for your information, Butch is not a 'great guy'! All he's done to me today is glare from behind the computer screen!"

He sighed, "Look, I can't help you. You need to figure it all out for yourself. I sent you to that club because I know you're going to benefit from it."

She scoffed, "I doubt it."

"Trust me, little sister. You'll thank me later on in life."

Kaoru made a disgruntled noise before waving him away and leaving his bedroom.

* * *

**AN: Yes, Boomer has officially become the dirty-minded one of the story. Shocked, but it was bound to happen sometime. Brick still assumes his leadership role as the head of the ICT club. Butch…isn't such a happy-chappy: guess he's not really a fan of Kaoru.**

**And yes, Narushima has made an appearance as being one of the three important people in this club: will he have a bigger role to play in this? And is all what it really seems? …who knows? Well, except for me. ;3**

**This won't be my average comedy/romance, trust me when I say things are going to get a whole lot twisted later on in the story. But the comedy will still make its appearance.**

**I will hopefully update by next week (this is, after all, a weekly challenge). I hope you didn't find this too…boring. It's short because it's the prologue, but things will start to kick off by the next chapter.**

**Remember to review! I would love to hear your thoughts on this! :D**


	2. All in the Act of Revenge

**AN: Guys, I'm so abso-freaking happy right now! Why, you ask? Because I've recently drawn up a detailed plan of how 'Make & Break' is going to play out. Yes. I feel pretty happy right now. And I've been typing chapters up like crazy. Now I just need to check on the first drew chapters before I can start putting them up.**

**Oh, and a reminder to the fellow American readers. In the UK, secondary school lasts from ages 12-18; and I think in Japan and America, high school lasts up until age 17. I think. So don't get confused in this story, Butch, Boomer and Brick are eighteen but are still in school. Dai is nineteen so he's in university. ****Hope that was clear. :D**

**Anyways... Onwards with the story!**

* * *

_**PART II:** All in the Act of Revenge_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't watch porn?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Boomer! I don't freaking watch-"

"Just what are you two doing?" snapped Butch as he approached Kaoru and Boomer, but his glare was directed at Kaoru.

Boomer rolled his eyes, "Just having an ordinary conversation."

"You're supposed to be working."

"I'm done."

Butch smirked at Kaoru, "Are _you_ done?"

Kaoru hated his smug look. And at that moment she realised that he was just a damn bastard, "No. I haven't. Ever so sorry, _your majesty_," she mocked.

His smirk fell and he sneered, "No work, no talking. Get to it."

"Aw, Butch. You're scaring the newbies," said Narushima as he sauntered over.

A scowl appeared on Butch's face as he said, "I'm not scaring them. They're just taking this thing way too lightly."

Narushima rolled his eyes, "Who put a stick up your ass?"

Kaoru immediately liked Narushima. At least this guy knew there was something wrong with Butch's attitude.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Butch said, although he sounded anything but, "If I wanted a bitch around me, I would've gotten a dog already," then he glared at Narushima, "Mind your own business." Then he stalked off towards Brick.

Narushima rolled his eyes, "The guy is such a dick sometimes, I swear."

Boomer shrugged, "He's alright, I guess."

Kaoru glanced at him, "Please tell me you're joking."

Narushima laughed, "I like you. You're Kaoru, aren't you?"

She nodded.

"We've never had a girl join us before."

"_Really?_" she faked enthusiasm and he noticed judging by the grin that spread across his face, "I hadn't even noticed."

To be honest, unlike all the other guys here, Narushima was by far the most smooth. In fact, you wouldn't even guess that he was into computer hacking, he had the build and persona of a football player.

A very _smooth_ football player.

"And what made you decide to join us, hm?"

"My brother practically brainwashed my parents into making me join. Maybe you know him, he was here last year. Does the name 'Dai' ring a bell?"

His eyes widened in recognition, "Dai? As in Dai Matsubara?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Man, that guy was amazing. One of the best hackers we've ever had. He's in university now, isn't he? And...you're his little sister?"

"Yup, he says I should be following in his footsteps."

He chuckled, "Wise words. And as you should. I'll teach you everything you need to know."

"Please, don't even waste your time with her. She'll be leaving in a few days," said Butch as he returned with paper handouts.

"What do you mean? I'm not leaving," said Kaoru, ignoring the insult.

"Oh, I'll make sure you do," he warned as he threw the handout to her.

Kaoru glared at him, "What the hell is your problem?"

Narushima shook his head, "Don't worry about him. He's just a sourpuss. Anyways, do you need my help?"

Kaoru sighed, "No thanks, I'm fine... For now."

Narushima smiled, "That's great. Well, once you're done, maybe we could go get a smoothie at the Smooth Groove?"

Boomer suddenly piped up, "Oh, that sounds like a great idea! I'm actually quite thirsty, you know."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, "I think I'll pass. But Boomer can keep you company."

Narushima frowned for a second before quickly smiling at Boomer, "Sounds...wonderful." And then he left without a further word.

* * *

"So? How was Day 2 of the Hackerz?" asked Dai as he grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl.

Kaoru narrowed her eyes, "It was worse than last week."

He gave a long whistle, "Sounds promising. Do tell."

She sighed, "I can't make a virus."

He snorted, "Of course you can't. You're just a beginner. Wait no, you're even lower than a beginner. You're more like a noob."

She chucked a piece of bread at her brother, "I'm being serious!"

"So am I!" he laughed.

She frowned, "Your good old buddy Butch is still being a dick."

He rolled his eyes, "He's a little cranky, but he's an awesome guy once you get to know him."

"He's planning on how to get rid of me."

"Oh. Well, that's awkward."

She glared at him, "Is that all you can say?"

Dai sighed, "Look, sis. You've only just started. You're seventeen for goodness sake! I'm nineteen! It took me seven years to learn and perfect my skills, and I didn't have the starting point that you had."

Kaoru looked at him, confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Do you even know how the Hackerz started?"

She shook her head.

"There was nothing such as the Hackerz, or even the ICT club when I first started secondary school. I was really interested in ICT when I was twelve, and by the time I turned thirteen, I'd already begun programming. Then I met Brick and Butch, they were twelve. Turned out that they had an avid interest in programming too.

"So we gathered up other students in the school who were into programming and began the ICT Club. It wasn't intentionally a hacking society. At least, not at first. We just...developed our programming skill into something more advanced. And then one day, Brick, Butch and I accidentally hacked into the school's mainframe while testing out a new program we'd been making.

"We were scared shitless, of course. But then, we tried it again the next week. And then the next, until we realised that we could hack. We could program and we could hack. We could build up, and we could break down. Simple as that. And then we formed the Hackerz. And it's been like that ever since."

Dai had a disappointed look on his face, and Kaoru wondered whether he missed being part of the club again.

But then he quickly straightened and grinned at her, "So you see, you need to do this. For me."

Kaoru sighed, "Fine. Whatever. Like I care."

Dai raised an eyebrow, "Don't be too hard on yourself. The club has never had a girl in their team before, so it's only natural that there would be conflicts. Not that we're sexist or anything, I mean _they_. _They're_ not sexist. It's just...weird."

She snorted, "Thanks. Nice to know I'm weird. You sure give me a lot of self-confidence."

He rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean. But in all seriousness: I think you're really brave for doing this. You make me proud, sis."

She sighed, "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Now, cut the crap."

He laughed, "Alright, whatever you say." He then walked out of the kitchen, leaving her there to contemplate things.

Kaoru sat in the silence, thinking over what Dai had just said. She was the first girl to join the hacking team, and obviously a warm welcome wasn't the first thing that she had been offered. She frowned, remembering Butch's hostility. The guy was such a dipshit.

Suddenly, a mischievous grin appeared on her face.

If Butch thought she knew nothing about computers, she'd show him. With a little bit of revenge.

Okay, a lot of revenge.

And on that happy note, she went to sleep peacefully that night, the evil smile still plastered on her face.

* * *

The room was quiet, dark and empty. Kaoru smirked. It was time. She slipped in through the door and checked her watch: 7:00am.

_Right on time._

The others would be here soon and she had to get this done quickly and as sneakily as possible. She did a quick check through of the room to see if anyone else was there, quite possibly hiding from her. When she realised that she was completely alone, she began her plan.

She walked over to Butch's computer and turned it on, getting out her good old friend, the floppy disk. It was rarely used these days, now that SD cards and USB pen drives were so common, they had gone out with the VHS tapes. But even though all the tech-savvy people thought floppy disks were practically obsolete, Kaoru loved working with them. They had great advantages. Especially when they came to things like this.

She imported the floppy disk into the hard-drive and prayed he wouldn't check it. Not a lot of people did. She then went into his documents and checked its directory link.

She linked this with the floppy disk and hoped that it would work. It had been a long time since she'd done this, and that was before Windows 7 was even born. She left the floppy disk in, and left it running as she then went into the Startup folder and created a shortcut to the Windows shut-down file.

She remembered her brother doing this before as revenge to his ex-girlfriend. Her computer kept shutting down because he'd planted the shortcut onto start-up. And in the middle of the night, she had called him to come and fix it because she knew he was good with computers.

He made her pay £50 to fix it, even though it was a simple matter of starting up the computer in 'safe-mode'. So Kaoru decided that the morale of the story was to never date a hacker...unless you wanted to complicate things if you broke up.

And although Dai had grown more mature since then and no longer used his hacking skills to take revenge on anyone, Kaoru still had a few more years to become less immature. So she thought playing a trick on Butch would do no harm.

It was a cheap and cheesy trick, but it was annoying nonetheless, and that was all that she wanted. Once Butch would log in to his user next time, the computer would automatically shut down on him.

She heard footsteps along the corridor and panicked.

_Shit!_ No one was supposed to be here!

She still wasn't finished as the floppy disk was still running. She needed more time. Time that just couldn't be afforded.

Suddenly, the floppy disk was ready in position and Kaoru felt the slightest bit of relief before quickly pressing the shut down button on the computer and diving under one of the desks. She prayed that the computer would shut down quickly before the person would enter the ICT room.

The footsteps stopped just outside the door and Kaoru felt sweat trickle down her neck. The suspense was killing her. So was the uncomfortable position she was in...

There was a voice. No, there were two voices. One angry: Butch. The other almost...taunting? She wasn't quite sure but she had a feeling it was Narushima.

She glanced back at Butch's computer and noticed it shut down. She breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god. But now how was she supposed to get out of here without either of those two noticing?

Her breath caught in her throat when the door suddenly clicked open.

"I honestly don't even give a fuck."

"Then why are you here, Narushima? Huh? We didn't invite you. You came here on your own accord. And frankly, I find it a bit odd."

Kaoru had been right. It was Butch and Narushima. But what were they arguing about?

"You find a lot of things odd, Butch. I don't see why my appearance to the team should matter."

There was a pause before Butch asked, "Why are you even here?"

"Brick told us to-"

"No, I don't mean _now_. I mean why are you part of our team? What's your reason?"

They were getting closer to where Kaoru was and she was overcome by sudden fear when she could see them from her crouched position. Narushima was smirking contemptuously at Butch who had his back turned to her, but she noticed his hands clenching.

Wait, if she could see them, then it was only a matter of time before they noticed her too.

She had to get out of here.

Kaoru tried to slide away, but she realised that the floors were made of linoleum and would make noises if she tried to sneak. She couldn't let them know she was there.

Damn it. She was trapped.

They still hadn't noticed her under the table when Butch began to turn on his computer. And because he was so preoccupied with Narushima, he didn't even notice the floppy disk that had been inserted.

Kaoru grinned. Her plan was working so far.

But she still had to stay out of their sights.

The ICT room was still dark because the lights hadn't been turned on and the curtains to the windows were closed. Only a trickle of light washed into the room. That was the only thing keeping Kaoru concealed on the floor. That, and her tendency to wear black.

Narushima rolled his eyes, "I already told you my rea-"

"No, that's what you _told_ us. Tell me, what's _really_ your main objective? What do you wish to get out of this?" asked Butch as he logged into his user.

"Aw, Butch. Don't you trust me?"

She tried to stay as still as possible so that she wouldn't draw any attention. But that was proving difficult since she had a sudden urge to scratch her itchy nose.

Why did things like this happen at the worst of time?

"_Shit_," said Butch.

"What? Is there a problem?" mocked Narushima.

Butch ignored him and straightened up, "The computer just shut down on me. Someone's been in here."

Kaoru's eyes widened. _Crap, crap, crap. _She didn't think he'd figure it out that quickly. She still needed to get out of her, but now Butch was scanning the room. She'd be busted in no time.

Narushima chuckled, "I doubt it was a secret agent. No need to be so cranky, it's probably just a prank."

Still walking around the room, Butch said nothing. He was determined to find any clues. He then got down on his knees and Kaoru almost had a heart attack. He was checking under every table. She'd definitely be caught now.

Narushima sighed, "This is pointless."

Kaoru agreed hopefully, _'Yes, this is pointless. Please leave, Butch.'_

"If it's so pointless. Go outside. I didn't ask you to stay here with me," he snapped, eyes narrowed as he paused for a second to look at Narushima before continuing his under-the-table search.

Narushima scoffed, "Fine. I'll be waiting in the corridor then."

There was the click of the door and the quick flash of light before he left, and the room was plunged back into the dark, silent suspense.

"Good riddance," muttered Butch. And Kaoru was surprised that she could even hear him. Wait, he was coming closer, that's why.

She had to get away. She had to get away.

"_Come out, come out wherever you are,_" he sang. Although, by the way his voice almost growled out the words, Kaoru had the feeling that he wasn't a sympathetic person.

Kaoru tried to crawl away on her knees but it was too dangerous. He was almost near to her table. Her heart pounded and she could feel sweat on her forehead.

Damn, it was getting really stuffy under this table.

She almost screamed when Butch arrived at her table when suddenly there was a click and a flash of light when the door opened.

"Butch, come on. Narushima's waiting on us."

Butch turned away and didn't even notice Kaoru and her trembling figure, "In a minute, Brick."

"No, we need to go _now_," Brick emphasised.

Butch sighed, "Fine." Then he pushed himself back onto his feet as he stood up and walked out the door with Brick.

There was silence for a few minutes before Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief and got out from under the desk.

That had been a close call.

She reminded herself not to underestimate Butch as she stood up. Then she quickly opened the door and slipped out of the room before anybody else noticed.

But the thing was, someone _had_ noticed.

As she walked out the Technology department and into the corridor, Narushima smirked from a distance. Oh, she was good, he'd give her that. He then chuckled to himself as Brick and Butch approached.

"What's so funny?" asked Butch, but it sounded more like a threat than a casual question coming from him.

Narushima considered telling him, but then he decided that he wasn't a part of this. If Kaoru wanted to mess around with Butch, then so be it. So he shrugged, "Nothing, just thinking about something."

Brick rolled his eyes, "We don't have the time. Come on." And the three walked out of the department.

* * *

**AN: Oh, yeah. The tension, the drama, it's all there. And even Narushima's got a part! But I must warn you guys, do not hack! It's not nice (I sound like my mother). But seriously, hacking can make a big effect on victim's state of mind. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is.**

**I'm using hacking as a base for my story. That's it. Just for experimental purposes. Nothing more. This applies to future chapters as well. And any 'hacking' (if you could call it that) skills you see being used here are from my older brother's limited knowledge of computing and programming (thanks, bro!).**

**And the rest is from research. I've never tried hacking, and I don't plan to. I'm warning you now, do not try any of the hacking demos you read in this and future chapters. If you do, you do so at your own risk. Hacking is illegal. Like I said, the whole hacking thing is just for the story plot line, nothing else.**

**But other than that, I hoped you've enjoyed this! Remember to comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts on this!**


	3. Playing With Fire

**AN: W-what's this? Fruitloop-1 finally decided to update _twice in one week_? Well...this is a first. Yup. It sure is. I'm actually getting ahead of schedule here. Originally, this challenge was to enforce me to update _weekly_. But, hey. Rules are meant to be broken. Right?**

**Just wanted to say '_thank you_' to all your favs, follows and reviews. They make my day (and they also bring about speedy updates like this!).**

**So...continue reading! XD**

* * *

_**PART III:** Playing with Fire_

* * *

This time, when Butch started up the computer on 'safe-mode', it didn't shut down when he logged in. So he quickly went into the Start-Up folder and found a shortcut to the 'shut-down' file.

He had been right. Someone had been on his user and messed around with it. But who?

No one in the ICT club were brave enough to go up against him. And there were no other people in their school who were even remotely good enough with computers to be able to try a tactic like that.

Wait, then again there was Narushima...had he been messing around with his computer?

In fact, now that Butch pondered on it, it actually made sense. Yes, Narushima would go against him. And he had found something funny earlier. Was he laughing at Butch?

Butch frowned to himself, but then again this was a childish trick even for a hacker. It was only used for those who didn't know about it. So would Narushima actually do something like that?

He could if he was messing around.

The door to the ICT room opened and the Technology department's technician came in, "Hello, Butch. I didn't expect to see you here. Hasn't school ended?"

"It has, sir. I'm just doing something really important."

"Oh, well then don't let me keep you," he replied as he opened the filing cabinet.

"Wait, Mr Fabian," Butch said, "Did you notice anyone coming into this room this morning?"

"Sorry, Butch. I came to school late this morning because of traffic, so I can't say. But maybe the cleaner knows. I think he was here this morning."

Butch nodded, "Alright, thanks," he said as he deleted the 'shut-down' shortcut on his computer and turned it off, "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Alright, Butch. Have a nice day. Don't stay stuffed inside your bedroom, it's sunny today. Go out. Have fun. Be free. Don't forget you're still a teenager."

Butch rolled his eyes, "I'm eighteen. Practically an adult, Mr Fabian."

Mr Fabian sighed, "You teenagers think the world is so much simpler when you're an adult. Come on, Butch. This is your last year of school, you're going to university next year. At least make the best of it. Spend time with your friends, meet new people...and for my sanity, get yourself a _girlfriend!"_

Butch raised an eyebrow, "I'm not interested in dating right now."

"And you never will be. Don't be such a recluse. You'll have time for all this computer business when you get to university. But don't waste your time now. I mean it, Butch. End this year properly or you'll grow up to regret it."

Butch stayed silent for a moment before nodding, "We'll see. Later, Mr Fabian." He gave a salute and walked out the door.

He searched the Technology department for the cleaner and finally spotted him cleaning up the pieces of plastic lying around the workshop.

"Excuse me, sir."

The cleaner looked up, "Hello, there. Are you looking for the teacher? She's in the staff room."

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you. Were you here in the department this morning?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Did you notice anybody going into the head ICT room?"

The cleaner thought for a moment, "Actually, yes. Now that you mention it, I think I did."

"I knew it was him," muttered Butch, thinking of ways to strangle Narushima the next time he saw him.

"_'Him'?_ I'm sorry, but I didn't see any boys around. She was just a girl, looked sixteen or seventeen, I'd say. Wore a lot of black that girl."

Girl? Butch seemed confused. A girl had went into the ICT room? So it wasn't Narushima? But why would a girl go into the room? For all he knew, there was no girl that- ...wait.

"Did this girl have black hair?" he asked, his hands already clenching.

"Yes, I think she was reading that book: The Da Vinci Code. Interesting book actually, my cousin liked it. I, however, wasn't such a big fan, but the technique was very good."

Butch nodded, mindlessly, not really listening. He knew it had to be Kaoru. "Well, thanks for the help. I really needed it."

"Oh, it was no problem. See you later."

"Bye," said Butch as he walked out of the department, furious.

_How dare she? _And such a crappy trick too! She'd been messing around with his computer! The thought of it ignited anger in him, and something else... Fine. If Kaoru wanted to be childish and play games. Then he would also play games.

He was going to fight fire with fire.

...and he already had an idea in mind.

* * *

"Where have you been?" asked Dai.

Kaoru flinched, "Oh, it's just you."

He raised an eyebrow, "Are you alright? You look a little jumpy today."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Everything's fine."

"I was talking to Butch just a few minutes ago."

"It wasn't me! I swear! ...okay, it was me! But he started it and then he-"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"...I don't know... What are _you_ talking about?"

Dai rolled his eyes, "I mean, he called me to see how university was going."

"Oh?" Kaoru feigned enthusiasm, "Is that so?"

He laughed, "Okay, I know you're not really his biggest fan. But he's my best friend. It was actually kind of nice hearing from him again."

Kaoru found it hard to believe that someone as positive as _Dai_ would be all chummy with a guy as...difficult as _Butch_.

"I told him about you."

"Uh...you did?" she asked, nervous.

"Yeah, I said you went to the same school as him, just a year below. Told him to look out for you. Now he's playing a guessing game trying to figure out who you are. I didn't tell him your name, you see."

"Oh, thank the lord."

"Yeah, it's really funny, isn't it? You're in his hacker team and he doesn't even know you're related to me! Man, that is hilarious."

Yeah. Fucking hysterical.

"He said he'd like to meet you sometime. Wants to know who the sister of _this genius_ is," he teased, gesturing to himself.

Kaoru rolled her eyes, "Let's hope it never happens then, hm?"

"Is he really that hard to get along with?"

"Yes! He's horrible! ...and he hates me!"

"Are you sure you haven't done anything?"

"Yes, I'm sure! How could you doubt me?"

Dai put his hands up in defence and laughed, "Alright, alright. I get it. I'm sorry. Okay, so you don't get along with Butch. No problem. Surely not everybody in that club hates you."

"Well, Brick doesn't really talk-"

"I find that hard to believe."

"But Boomer and Narushima are okay, I guess."

Dai looked confused, "Who the heck are Boomer and Narushima?"

"Oh, right. Boomer's new this year. I don't think Narushima is new though, he's one of them."

"Hm, Boomer... I think I've heard that name somewhere. But Narushima? Care to elaborate?"

"You know, he's in that group of three with Brick and Butch. I don't think they get along very well though."

Dai furrowed his eyebrows in though, "Huh. No, the name 'Narushima' doesn't ring a bell. And I'm surprised that Brick and Butch would let a newbie into the Trio."

"The...what?"

"The Trio. I used to be a part of it last year. It consists of three members from the Hackerz, they're pretty much the best at what they do so they take the lead role. But to let a newbie in...wow, this Narushima guy must be really good then. I'll have to talk to Butch about that next time," he muttered the last sentence.

Kaoru was about to tell him about the argument that she'd overhead this morning between Narushima and Butch, but then realised she'd also have to explain why she was there in the first place. Something which she had no intention of doing.

"Well, I'm going up to my room," she said and took a slice of cheesecake from the fridge.

"See ya," he said, still thinking about Narushima. And it was strange that Butch hadn't even told Dai about it when they were talking earlier.

Dai sighed, feeling out of the loop. He didn't want to admit it to his sister, but he really missed being a part of the Hackerz, and it was fun because he was with his best friends: Brick and Butch. Now he was in university, there was no more time for that kind of stuff.

He looked longingly over to his laptop and for a second even considered going back to...

_No._

He shook his head. He promised himself he wouldn't. He had to grow up and forget about that. Or at least _try_ to forget. He was older now, he didn't have the time for this like he did before.

And as much as it hurt him to admit it, he wasn't part of the Hackerz. Not anymore. He sighed once more and decided that maybe TV would help take his mind off things.

* * *

Now, Butch was a mastermind when it came to hacking. Obviously, he wasn't an expert, but he was definitely advanced. So when Butch went home that night and thought about the many ways he could get back at Kaoru, he realised that the possibilities were endless.

Needless to say he had a hard time controlling himself and he even considered electrocution to some point. He decided being a sadist wasn't going to help him. He would act like the innocent victim. But he would get back at her. Definitely.

His problem now was: where to start?

He could do anything.

And finally he decided to start with small baby steps. Just to freak her out a bit. That would definitely be fun. And then, when he'd had his fun, he'd demolish her and make her regret ever joining the group of hackers or even meeting him.

He grinned to himself the next morning as he arrived early to begin the plan. He went onto her computer and started it up. Mr Fabian came in, whistling to himself, then he spotted Butch.

"Ah, Butch! Back here again?" he asked.

Butch grinned, "Yeah, just doing some maintenance."

"Is that so? Hm, you look like you're in a good mood today. Something I should know about?"

Butch shook his head, the grin still on his face, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Mr Fabian raised an eyebrow, "Hm, alright. Whatever you say."

Butch logged onto Kaoru's user and immediately opened up the notepad programme and began typing the code to his next hacking trick. After he finished, he saved it as a '.bat' extension file and then transferred the file over to the start-up folder.

As he turned off Kaoru's computer, he smirked. Oh, he was definitely going to have fun with this.

* * *

Kaoru looked disgusted. And she said so. "That's _disgusting_, Boomer!"

He grinned, "Aw, come on. It's not that bad."

"Please, can we talk about something else? I don't want to have a conversation with you on porn. Especially not in public. I mean, are you always this dirty-minded?"

He shrugged, "Ask my brothers."

She raised an eyebrow, "You have brothers?"

"Yeah, of course. You've met them before."

"I have?"

"Yeah, you know, Brick and Butch."

She seemed surprised, "Wait, you're related to those two? But you're so... Actually, now that I think about it, it doesn't seem like such a far-fetched idea."

He rolled his eyes, "Thanks."

"Alright, guys. I got the smoothies," said Narushima as he walked over to their table.

Right now, Kaoru, Boomer and Narushima were at the Smooth Groove, getting a smoothie after school.

"Oh, did you get my Teenage Dream?" asked Boomer.

And Kaoru couldn't help but laugh when Narushima flushed in embarrassment, "What the hell, dude? You don't say things like that!"

"But did you get it? It's pretty much the best smoothie out there, it's got passion fruit, mangoes, pineapple..." And then he began to drool.

Narushima sighed and put down the smoothies on the table, "Yes, I got your freaking Teenage Dream," then he gave a sweet smile to Kaoru, "And a Berry Smooth smoothie for the lovely lady."

She grinned, "Thanks, Narushima."

Boomer slurped at his smoothie, "And what smoothie did you get, Narushima?"

"The Cranberry Bash. It's cranberry."

Kaoru snorted, "Well, no shit, Sherlock."

Narushima rolled his eyes, "And it's also raspberry. And what about your Berry Smooth drink, huh? What's that made out of?"

She smirked, "Strawberries, blackberries and green mango. Delicious."

"Huh, that actually _does_ sound delicious," agreed Boomer, still slurping, "Hey, can we have snacks?"

Narushima sighed irritably, "Fine. What do you want?"

"The Lemondada Bonanza!"

Kaoru gave him a look, "What the heck is that?"

"It's lemonade flavoured cake with bananas and pineapple."

"Uh...that's weird."

"Exactly, which is why it's worth a try."

Narushima then smiled seductively at Kaoru who was still watching Boomer suspiciously, "And what would you like, Kaoru?"

Kaoru thought for a moment while looking through the menu, "Hm, I think I'll just have a plain banana," but after seeing Boomer's mischievous grin, she changed her mind, "Uh, you know what? Forget the banana. Mozzarella sticks for me, please."

Narushima nodded, "Okay, I'll be right back," he said as he went off to get the snacks.

There was a comfortable silence before Boomer then said, "You know, you should've stuck to the banana. Did you know it resembles a- _Ow!_ My nose! Why'd you hit me in the nose?!"

"My bad. I was aiming for your eye."

* * *

By the time the three of them arrived at the ICT room the next day, nearly all the members were present. Brick still had to arrive along with Takaaki and a few other members. Butch sat in front of his own computer, working on something, so he didn't notice the arrivals.

The club hadn't begun yet, so everyone was chatting away. Kaoru sat down at her own computer and started it up as Boomer sat beside her and opened up his own book of the _Art of Exploitation._

"Huh, that's strange," she mused, "There must be something wrong with the computer today."

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Boomer.

Narushima approached them, "Hey, Kaoru. Something the matter?" He made sure not to mention Boomer's name, not that the guy even noticed.

"I don't know. The mouse and keyboard isn't working but the computer's running just fine."

Narushima smirked, "Ah, the classic batch file 'nokeyboard' trick. It seems that someone took a little swipe at your computer."

Kaoru instantly knew who it was. And as she glanced at Butch, she noticed him winking at her and showing his hand, it had the words _'revenge, bitch'_ written on it. She glared at him and gave him the finger.

Narushima raised an eyebrow, "I can have it fixed pretty easily, if you want."

She nodded, "Yeah, thanks. I'll be right back." She then stormed over to where Butch was sitting.

"Oh, hello there," he said.

"What is your fucking problem?"

This time he was the one to glare at her, but the smirk was much more colder now, "Oh, I'm sorry. My _problem?_" He gave a fake laugh. "Aren't you the one who decided to mess around with my computer? Forgive me for being so _childish_," he added sarcastically.

Kaoru took a quick glance at his hard-drive and noticed that the floppy disk was still there. The guy hadn't even noticed yet. That meant he was talking about the shutting-down episode. He didn't even know that she had...

She almost smirked in satisfaction, but she was still angry so she frowned, "Oh? And so the whole _'I Hate You Since the Very Day I Met You'_ thing was never your fault?"

He shrugged, the smirk never leaving his face, "I'm afraid not, sweetheart."

"Keep your pet names for your pillow," she snapped, and he narrowed his eyes at her, "You've hated me from Day One. What did I ever do to you?"

He scoffed, "Oh, please. Like you even _deserve_ to be here. You think this club is a joke. Well, guess what? It's not. I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a girl."

Kaoru gritted her teeth, "Fine then. Have it your way. You want to play these games? Then we'll play these game."

She turned on her heel and stormed back to her seat. Butch scowled. The bitch. Acting like she was some kind of queen. _Please._ Like she would win against him. It was a war where he knew who would actually win.

* * *

**AN: By the way, any of you guys who have went on my website recently, you may have noticed that I had already posted the first four chapters there a week ago! So some of you have already seen this chapter before.**

**So if you want to read Part IV before I post it up on to FF, go check it out on my website. I'll be updating future chapters on my website before I post them up on FF.**

**Yes, I know. I'm such a tease. ;3**

**Well, review! (...you know you want to!)**


	4. The Guessing Game

**AN: Hot damn! Three chapters in one week? It must be a miracle!**

**Formatting is a bitch, though. My laptop is a goner which means I'm using 'Notes' on my iPad to write all this stuff down. And you know how horrible autocorrection is, right? Ugh. Well, it's still worth it for the story.**

**And thanks for the awesome motivation, guys. You people rock my socks.**

* * *

_**PART IV:** The Guessing Game_

* * *

Exam timetables would be given out soon, and Kaoru knew this was the perfect time to execute her plan. It wasn't so much as hacking rather than pranking. She was very good at pranks, having spent time with her older brother for so long through her childhood.

But, of course, she needed some help from a hacker to get into the school's mainframe for this to work. Which was why Boomer was currently trailing behind her, slurping on a Teenage Dream smoothie.

"Would you quit that?" she hissed quietly, "We're going to get caught if you keep making those sounds!"

"We're going to get caught anyway once he realises what you've done."

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, well, we don't want to get caught before we actually _begin_ this operation."

"I don't get something," he said, pausing his drinking.

"What?"

"If your brother's such a hot shot computer hacker, why don't you get _him_ to hack into the school's mainframe?"

Well, for one thing, Butch was Dai's best friend, so Dai would never agree to doing this plan. Second, he didn't even know that Butch and Kaoru were practically sworn enemies now, and she was intending to keep it that way. "Uh...he's busy."

"Doing what?"

"Stuff."

Boomer raised an eyebrow but then rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

They both reached the technology department and looked to see if the technician was around anywhere.

"Mr Fabian should be in lunch break right now," whispered Boomer as so not to attract the attention of any of the technology classes.

"Good, because we need to get into his office."

They both ducked under the classroom windows so no one would see them, then they quickly tip-toed to the office. Boomer turned the handle, but the door wouldn't move.

"Damn it, it's locked."

"No problem, I've got it covered," said Kaoru as she slipped a bobby pin out of her messy ponytail and slid it into the lock.

She leaned her ear against the door as she twisted the pin this way and that, trying to find a way to unlock it. Finally, she heard a click.

Grinning, Boomer murmured, "That's pretty impressive."

Kaoru shrugged modestly, "I may not be much of a hacker. But I still got other tricks up my sleeve."

Then they both quietly entered the office and closed the door behind them.

"Alright, so what do we do now?" asked Boomer.

"I need you to access the exam timetables for the senior students and their roll call list."

"Aye, aye, captain," he said, giving her a mock salute, "By the way, Mr Fabian will be back from lunch break in half an hour. Is that enough time?"

"Plenty."

As Boomer worked his magic on Mr Fabian's computer, Kaoru noticed this was the first time he looked so serious and concentrated. His eyes were focused on the screen and he tapped away at his keyboard so fast that she could barely keep up.

"Admiring my devilishly handsome feautures?" he asked, still not taking his eyes off the screen.

She snorted, "Handsome in what world?"

"Now that's just rude," he said, chuckling.

She gave a sarcastic laugh and sat down in the chair next to him, "That reminds me: sorry about making you skip classes today so you could do this for me."

Boomer paused typing and gave her look, "_Now_ you're sorry?" he asked wryly, "You didn't seem very apologetic when you dragged me out of my classroom and threatened me to help you..._or else._"

Kaoru gave a sheepish grin, "My bad."

He snorted, "Bitch. And don't worry about me skipping classes. I've held the reputation of being a goody-two-shoes all my life. It's my last year in school and I'm intent on becoming a rebel of some sort. That's the reason why I joined the Hackerz group."

She scoffed, "You were a goody-two-shoes? I find that hard to believe. Wait, _that's_ why you joined the Hackerz? Not because you're into programming?"

"Well, actually, I've always had some interest in programming and I'd learnt intermediate hacking from my brothers. But design is more my thing."

"You mean architecture?"

He hesitated, "Er, no. I mean fashion design."

If it had been any other guy, Kaoru would've burst out laughing. But Boomer looked so sincere, and now that she thought about it, the fashion industry _did_ kind of suit him. After all, he had the perfect look, the slender figure, that promiscuous attitude.

"I know, I know. Go ahead and call me gay, or whatever."

Kaoru shrugged, "I don't think it's gay. If it's what you're into, I say go for it."

Boomer blinked in surprised. There was a pause. "You are the first person I've ever heard say that."

She didn't know what to say. "What about your brothers?"

"Brick doesn't really mind, though he does think it's a little weird. Butch thinks it's gay though. But the guy cooks, so what does _he_ know?"

She smirked, "Butch cooks, you say?"

"Oh, yeah. He's a real bitch when it comes to herbs and spices. _'Boomer, don't put in too much salt, use black pepper instead!'_ or _'Boomer, quit using additives! Don't you know to enhance flavour, you need to use Indian five spices?'_ Oh, yeah. He's real manly."

Kaoru was actually kind of surprised. She did a lot of cooking too (due to her mother's pestering into taking Home Economics), so she was regularly making meals. Although, a lot less now that her exams had begun. But she was determined to pick it up again after the exams were done with.

"So, yeah. You're pretty much the only support I got. Ain't that sweet?" he said, grinning.

She rolled her eyes, "Are you done with the computer?"

"Almost, captain."

After a few more taps, he handed over the keyboard to her. She turned to him, "Do me a favour and go outside. Guard the door. Let me know if anyone is coming."

"Roger that."

As he left through the door, Kaoru smirked. Revenge is sweet.

* * *

It was the next day, and Butch tapped his ballpoint pen repeatedly on the desk so it made annoying clicking noises. However, it was nowhere as annoying as Narushima who was practically _exhaling_ bullshit every time he opened his mouth.

"...I mean, the girl's hot. But obviously nowhere as hot as Miyako, you know?"

Butch tried to look busy, which was kind of hard to do when all he had was a pen in his hand. He could've played around with his phone, but he left that at home.

"Because you know just how hot Miyako is, right? Well, maybe you don't know her. She doesn't go to this school, you see."

"Then why the hell are you bringing her up?" snapped Butch, irritated by this nonsense.

Narushima raised an eyebrow, "'Cause she's hot," then he eyed his companion, "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed. What's got you all peevish?"

Butch growled, "None of your fucking business. Now why don't you go talk to someone who actually gives a rat's ass?"

Narushima frowned, "You're such a dickwad, you know that?"

"I've been called worse. Now go fuck off."

Narushima stormed away and Butch smirked. Peace and quiet at last. Then the registration teacher came into the classroom. Well, it was actually a substitute teacher since the actual registration teacher was sick.

The teacher sat down and logged into the computer before telling the class to be quiet so he could call out the roll: "Akatsustumi Momoko?"

"Here," said a girl at the back of the classroom, adorning a neat red bow which kept her long auburn hair into an elegant ponytail.

Butch thought she looked a little familiar. Hm.

Ah, yes! She was in the school's drama society. She participated in almost all the drama productions there were, and personally he thought she had the exquisite quality to become a professional theatre actress.

"Naruo Narushima?"

"Here!"

Butch and his brothers had been to many of the school's drama productions before, and now that he thought about it, Brick was the main reason they even bothered going. Brick claimed that he loved the plays. But Butch knew that was bullshit, he only went to watch Momoko.

Butch held in a chuckle. And Momoko was still oblivious.

"Tutu-wearing Butchy-kins?"

Everyone burst out laughing at that. Butch's eyes snapped into focus on the teacher.

"Is there a Tutu-wearing Butchy-kins in this class?" asked the teacher in a naïve manner, not noticing the drama he was unfolding.

Everyone looked at Butch and hooted with laughter. He felt his face grow hot from embarrassment, but mostly out of anger. He reluctantly replied, "I'm here, sir. That's not my name, by the way."

The teacher seemed to faintly understand, and apologised, "A prank?"

Butch gave a curt nod.

"Is this something that I should report...?"

"That won't be necessary."

The teacher then continued the roll call while Butch simmered in his thoughts. Who would do something as bold yet childish as this? He gave a quick glance at Narushima, but he was simply laughing at something with a few of the basketball players in the registration class.

Hm, so it wasn't Narushima.

"Alright, class. I'm handing out your exam timetables. Don't lose them, or else you'll have to pay to get it replaced," said the teacher as he placed the timetables in front of the individuals.

_'About time,'_ Butch thought, _'I have a lot of studying to get to.'_

However, when he received his timetable, he was not amused. Narushima, by that time, had sauntered back over to his original seat in front of Butch, ignoring the death glare.

"Man, I got all these subjects I need to revise for," he whined, "What have you got?"

Butch was about to snatch the paper away, but Narushima whisked it out of his hands.

He laughed, "Ha! Dude, you got pawned!"

Butch tried to strangle the guy but he darted out of his reach as he showed Butch's timetable to the other students in the class.

"Haha! _'Lady Pants Analysis'? _Butch, I didn't know there was such a subject!" jeered one of the guys.

"Oi! Look at this one! _'Mama's Boy Advanced'?_ Boy, you're whipped!"

Narushima snorted, "What kind of subjects do you take, Butch? Or should I say: Tutu-wearing Butchy-kins?"

Butch growled and snatched his timetable away from their prying hands, "I don't take any of those subjects! Someone's just trying to take the piss out of me... And I think I know who..."

He scowled. That little _bitch_.

* * *

When Kaoru came home that day, she was greeted with a surprise. "Guess, what, kiddo?" asked Dai, grinning and hiding something behind his back.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I got your camera lens fixed."

Her eyes widened, "No way! Really?"

"Yup, here you go."

He handed her the lens and she squealed, "Yes! Yes! Oh my gosh! How much did this cost you?"

He shrugged, embarrassed, "Not too much. One of my buddies from university had connections with Canon. He managed to get me a discount."

"Aw! Thank you so much, Dai! This means a lot to me! I love you."

He gave a shy grin, "Yeah, well, just be more careful with it next time."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault. That kid just came out of nowhere."

It had actually been during the summer where Kaoru and Dai had been at the park and she'd been snapping pictures before some kid ran into her and broke the camera lens. She was an avid photographer and so it was no wonder she'd felt so upset about it.

Kaoru went upstairs to her room and opened up her camera bag where all her equipment was stored. She got out the camera and attached the lens onto it, then she fitted a UV filter over the lens; not to filter anything, just to avoid scratches.

She then turned on the camera and pointed it at the window, focusing the image before finally releasing the shutter. Perfection. It felt so good to have her camera working in her hands again.

Dai came into her room, "Oh, by the way. I forgot to tell you something. Butch called this afternoon."

For a second, Kaoru's heart sped up as she worried that Butch had finally figured out that she was Dai's sister and that he had called to tell him how she had been messing around with the roll call and his exam timetable.

"He wanted to talk to you, just to see if he could recognise your voice from anywhere," then Dai laughed, "But I was like 'No way, man. You're going to have to figure it out yourself.' But, just to cut the guy some slack, I gave him your phone number and-"

"You did _what?!_"

"Chill. Don't worry. I told him to just text you. Nothing else. I figured it's about time you tried to get along with him, and what better way than forcefully communicating with him?" he said with mischievous excitement, "But I still want to see if he recognises who you are yet. So don't call him. Just text. Got it?"

"Got it," she grumbled.

"Oh, and the obvious: don't tell him your name."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Great! Have fun!" he said, giving her a piece of paper with Butch's number on it.

Once Dai left, she sighed and looked at the number. Geez. Did she really want to text him? Nope. ...but Dai would ask about it later...

A sudden ring on her phone bought her attention as she checked. A new message. From an unknown number.

_'Hey, there. This is Butch, Dai's friend? Save my number. Text you later. :)'_

The smiley face creeped her out. Butch didn't seem like the kind of guy to put smiley faces at the end of his conversations. Then again, he didn't know it was her. He'd freak out if he knew he was talking to Kaoru.

She replied: 'Hi yourself. Sure thing.' She didn't bother adding an emoticon.

Immediately, she got a reply: _'I didn't expect you to answer so quickly. How are you?'_

'Good. You?'

_'Awesome. I'm guessing Dai told you about me?'_

'Not much. You two were in the ICT Club?'

'_Yup. But don't let that fool you. I'm not your average nerd, sunshine.'_

'Wasn't expecting you to be.' Kaoru paused. Huh, he didn't seem like such a bad guy on the phone. Why was he such a dick in real life? 'What are you up to?'

_'Rationalising surds. After dinner, I'm going to factorise a few quadratic equations.'_

'...I might just have to call an end to this conversation if you're not joking.'

_'I was joking. Don't worry. ;)'_

'*rolls eyes* Seriously. What are you doing?'

_'Homework. -.- You?'_

'Skydiving as we speak.'

'_I only do that on Tuesdays.'_

'Remind me to join you.'

_'Oh, sorry. My bad. I don't really take strangers skydiving, you know?'_

Kaoru snorted to herself: 'And I don't really strike up conversations with strangers either, but you don't see me complaining.'

_'Wow, you don't talk to strangers? Your social life must be diminishing by the second... Speaking of which, are you feeling sympathetic enough to tell me your name?'_

'Nice try. But no.'

_'What letter does it begin with?'_

'Still no.'

_'...I hate you. And here I was trying to be all charming. Such a waste.'_

'Not really much of a waste. First impressions count, you know?'

_'Oh, really? So now you think of me as charmingly handsome? ;)'_

'You wish. -.-'

_'I do.'_

Kaoru didn't know why, but she felt a slight blush creep up her cheeks at that. What was she supposed to say now? 'Egocentric prick.'

_'You flatter me so. But tell me, what are you really doing?'_

'Nothing much, actually. Wait, if you're doing homework, then why are you texting me?'

_'What? I'm not allowed to text you while I'm doing my homework? I didn't know you were so concerned with me.'_

'Once again: egocentric prick.'

_'Are you sure you can't give me any hints? Like...what year are you in?'_

'The year below you. Does that narrow it down much?'

_'Oh...you're evil. Alright then, are you female?'_

'Dude, what kind of question is that? You know I'm female!'

'_Just checking. What classes do you take?'_

'Can't tell you that.'

_'Aw. Not even a hint?'_

'Nope. But you can try guessing.'

_'If I guess correctly, will you tell me?'_

Kaoru smirked: 'Nope. XP'

_'You suck. Fine, do you take Technology?'_

'Nope.'

_'Any sciences?'_

'Nope.'

_'Languages, perhaps?'_

'Not that either.'

_'Hm, well, what about Psychology?'_

'Isn't that a science?'

_'Maybe. Alright then. No psychology... What about Home Economics?'_

'...no comment.'

_'Is that a yes?'_

'...'

_':D Alright, I'm getting warmer! So now I know you do Home Economics. That's one subject: three more to go. Do you do...Maths?'_

'Over my dead body.'

_'Tempting. What about ICT?'_

'Nope.'

_'Damn. Well then...Geography? History?'_

'No and no.'

_'Those are the most common subjects people take. What kind of subjects do you take?'_

Kaoru snickered to herself: 'You can keep guessing to find out.'

_'Why do I get the distinct impression that you are enjoying this?'_

'Because I am. XD'

_'Alright then. Music? Art & Design?'_

'No...then maybe.'

_'Wait, you take Art? Ah, so you're a pico Picasso, eh?'_

'Perhaps.'

_'Hm, I like my women mysterious. Okay, so you cook and you draw. Let's see...Drama? Photography?'_

'No to drama. Yes to photography.'

'_Interesting. You're very creative. Let's see, what other kind of creative subjects are out there...Textiles & Designs?'_

'Nope.'

_'Film Studies?'_

'...you win.'

_'Yes! You want to know what I take?'_

'Not really.'

_'Well I'm gonna tell you anyway: Physics, Maths, Technology and ICT.'_

'That's probably the most horrible combination of subjects ever.'

_'Gee, thanks. -.-'_

'8D'

_'...does your name begin with A?'_

'Butch, I'm not gonna say anything!'

_'Was worth a shot.'_

Kaoru rolled her eyes.

_'Oh. I need to go to dinner. Chat with you some other time, yeah?'_

'Yup.'

_'Bye.'_

'See ya.'

When their conversation ended, Kaoru realised it had gotten late and it was now evening. She was surprised that the time had flown by so quickly. But she was even more surprised that she had a fun time...with _Butch_.

She shook her head. No, no, no. Butch was a horribly apathetic person, she reminded herself. But at the same time she couldn't help but smile a little of how carefree he'd seemed just now.

"Kaoru, come down for dinner."

"I'm coming, mum!"

* * *

**AN: And so the shenanigans continue! I tried so hard to make sure that this chapter did not turn out all lovey-dovey. The lovey-dovey clichés will come later. But I still wanted there to be a kind of connection between the Greens. Did ya feel the connection? Did ya? Did ya? XP**

**I hope there's nothing too confusing here. If you've got any questions, then let me know! Constructive criticism appreciated!**

**And...review, my darlings! :3**


	5. Crossing Paths

**AN: Well, hello, hello. I'm back with another chapter again.**

**This chapter is actually a little shorter than my previous chapters, but it was kind of necessary because I wanted to keep this chapter and the next chapter seperate.**

**But more information will be at the end of this chappy. So, go ahead and read!**

* * *

_**PART V:** Crossing Paths_

* * *

Butch had found where Kaoru's locker was and, with the help of the cleaner, he managed to pry it open. He saw that it was filled with textbooks and classwork books. There were also sketchbooks and a pencil case filled with charcoal and different strengths of pencils. It looked a locker for an artist. He found that there was a Home Economics folder under the pile of books too.

"So the girl cooks, huh?" mused Butch.

He then shook his head and got to work as he pulled out a washing peg and fitted it over his nose. Then he tugged out a plastic bag from his school bag which contained deadly fumes.

Well, they weren't exactly deadly. But they sure as shit were stinky.

Butch smirked while his brought out the rotten eggs from the plastic bag which he'd been saving for exactly this moment. He placed them in Kaoru's locker at different corners. Then he pulled out the out-of-date soft cheese which had turned from cream to blue and had blue mould growing in it.

He grinned as he took off the lid and placed it in an easy position for Kaoru to see when she got to the locker. Then he got out a sticky note from his school bag and wrote on it using a sharpie:

_'Have a wonderful day. Your new best friend, Butch.'_

He placed the sticky note near the mouldy soft cheese and closed the locker. Then he took off the peg from his nose and immediately felt the urge to vomit. The smell was disgusting.

Which made it just perfect to mess with Kaoru.

It was a simple cheesy trick, but the reaction he would get was worth it.

* * *

_"BUTCH!"_ screamed Kaoru.

Butch leaned against the table where his computer was. He smiled sweetly, "Yes?"

"Care to tell me why my locker stinks? And why it's filled with rotten eggs and mouldy cheese?"

"No. Not really."

"Well, you don't have much of a choice," she growled, "Sit down."

"Make me."

"Don't tempt me."

Butch snorted, "That's what you get, bitch, for humiliating me in front of my registration group."

Kaoru looked confused for a second before grinning as recognition sparked in her eyes, "Oh? So this is revenge, huh?"

He simpered, "You could say that. Would you like to give in?"

"No way. I'll get you back Butch Jojo. Better sleep with your eyes wide open tonight. I'm after you."

"Is that a challenge?" he asked, a grin also adorning his features.

"We'll see." And with that, she walked away.

* * *

The next day, Kaoru found Butch's locker, although she obviously didn't know his combination so she found something even better to do. She had a bag of jelly in her hands and two big bottles of water.

Revenge never tasted so sweet.

She slid the jelly through the ventilation slits, but it scrambled a bit. Not that she minded. She just wanted to mess up his locker. The odour from her own locker still hadn't disappeared, even after dousing it in a full can of Febreeze. The advert lied. It didn't clear up _every_ smell.

If her locker was ruined, then she was going to ruin his too.

After pushing all the jelly through the slits, she then opened up one of the water bottles and began to tip it into the locker. Suddenly she heard a cough from behind her.

She panicked and quickly put the bottle down. But it was already too late. She'd been caught by...Narushima?

"Narushima, what are you doing here?"

He grinned, "Bathroom break," then he eyed her and the large water bottles, "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh, just...uh..."

"Vandalising Butch's locker?"

"He started it!"

Narushima only chuckled, "Alright, alright. I get it. I won't tell anyone, okay?"

Kaoru raised a suspicious eyebrow, "Why?"

He shrugged, "It's always healthy to have a bit of variety in life. And trust me, Butch needs it," he paused and then glanced over to her slyly, "And who am I to deny a cute girl?"

She frowned, "I'm not cute," she muttered, "So don't treat me like a kid."

"It was a compliment, darling."

She turned back to the locker.

"He's going to kill you for that."

"I know."

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Well, that escalated quickly. "Um...what?"

"A date? You know, where two people-"

"I know what a date is, you idiot. I meant..._why?"_

He shrugged casually and leaned against the locker beside Butch's, "Well, why not?"

"Hm, maybe because I don't even know you that well? Maybe because you're just doing this for your own amusement?" she muttered as she picked up the large bottle and continued pouring water into the locker.

"Those are very good questions. And maybe you're right. Maybe we don't know each other that well. So why not go on a date and we'll find out?"

She rolled her eyes, "Will it get you to shut up and leave me alone?"

"Yes."

"An hour maximum. No more."

"You are such a kill-joy."

"There - that's one new thing you've just learned about me. I'm a kill-joy."

Narushima smirked in amusement, "Saturday at seven, shall we say?"

"You got it," she mumbled, not really paying attention as she opened the next bottle.

"Great. See you then." And with that, he stalked off to class.

* * *

Butch was in the middle of soldering a wire to the circuit board when the teacher told them to clear up the room before they went off to lunch. He sighed and quickly finished off the soldering, almost burning his hand before he got up and put the circuit away into his cupboard.

Technology class was actually pretty fun considering the practical work they did. It involved a lot of creativity. In this class, he'd made useful objects from scratch such as an iPod dock (which he'd cleverly designed into an actual bitten apple), and then the Tetris block-shaped shelves which now decorated his bedroom at home.

"Hey, Butch. Are you going to that careers talk in the gym now?" asked Takaaki as he put his own creation into his assigned cupboard.

Butch nodded, "Well, we kind of have to."

They both walked out of class and left the Technology department as they went to their lockers. Butch and Takaaki's lockers were right next to each other. Takaaki insisted that this made them '_locker pals_'. Butch threatened him to not tell anyone.

Butch was the first to open his locker as he put his technology folder into it. Then he heard a cry of anguish.

"What kind of corrupt and profane person did this?!" cried Takaaki.

Butch looked beside him and saw water pouring out Takaaki's locker like a dam had exploded. And somewhere among it was red jelly.

He hid his grin as he gave Takaaki a reassuring pat, "There there, fella. It'll be alright."

Takaaki grabbed onto Butch's shirt and sobbed into his chest, "All my books!"

Butch nodded in fake sympathy, "I know, bro. I know. Just let it all out."

"Who would do something like this?"

Butch smirked, "There's a sticky note in your locker."

Takaaki pulled away from Butch and snatched the wet sticky note from inside the locker, it read: _'Right back at ya, buddy. - Kaoru.'_

"Kaoru? _Kaoru_ did this?!" said Takaaki in disbelief, "But she... I've never done anything to her!"

Butch shrugged, "Girl's got problems."

Takaaki held Butch's wrist in a tight grip and stalked off to the head ICT room in the Technology department. Kaoru was chatting with Boomer who was typing away at one of the computers.

Takaaki let go of Butch as he sat down at his normal chair, enjoying the show.

"Oh, hey there, Tak-"

Kaoru didn't get a chance to finish as he cried, "How _could_ you?"

She looked confused, "How could I what?"

Butch stood up from his seat and grinned, "How could you pour water into poor Takaaki's locker? After all, he's been nothing but nice to you," he mocked.

Kaoru's eyes widened at Takaaki, "Shit! That was _your_ locker?"

Takaaki glared at her, "Yes! Of course it was! Who's else could it be?"

"Takaaki, I'm so sorry. I thought you were Butch and-"

"Do I _look_ like Butch?" he asked, infuriated.

Kaoru flinched, "Ah...no."

"Exactly. You better not talk to me ever again." And with that he stormed away.

Boomer whistled, "Wow...what was that about?"

Kaoru ignored him and narrowed her eyes at Butch, "You set me up."

His grin grew wider, "Of course I did."

"Why?"

He shrugged, "I saw the opportunity and I took advantage of it. Not my fault you're so predictable. Though I will admit that the prank was a good one. Too bad it didn't work out for you the way you planned."

Kaoru gritted her teeth. He was mocking her. The little bastard. "Just you wait. I'll get you."

He scoffed, "Oh, I'm so scared. I'm practically shaking."

"You better, bitch." She stormed out of the room too.

Now it was just Butch and Boomer.

"Hey, bro," said Boomer as he gave a mock salute.

Butch raised an eyebrow, "I can't believe you're friends with her."

Boomer shrugged, "She's actually pretty cool, you know. Maybe you both just started off wrong. You should give her a chance. Actually talk to her."

Butch smirked, "Ever the idealist, my dear brother."

Boomer rolled his eyes as he shut off his computer and then picked up his bag. "Yeah, well. Sometimes being ideal doesn't hurt."

* * *

Butch sighed as he dropped into his bed.

What a day.

That career talk had left him a little skittish to say the least. All those speeches about how you had to have the best grades to even be considered into a university.

He knew it was true, but a little encouragement would've been nice.

He needed a distraction so he grabbed his phone off the bedside table and immediately began texting.

'Hey. How are you?'

The reply came five minutes later: _'Okay... You?'_

He smiled: 'Pretty good. What are you doing?'

_'I have a HE test tomorrow so I'm revising.'_

'Ah, yes. You cook, I take it?'

'_Yeah. I'm guessing you don't?'_

He smirked: 'You'd be surprised. I actually do cook, sweetheart.'

_'You and your pet names. -.-'_

Butch smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he felt this comfortable talking to someone. Ever since his best friend, Dai, left for university, he'd felt more than a little lonely. He was glad that he had a sister, though.

'I wouldn't have to give you pet names if you just told me your real name.'

_'Hm, touché.'_

'Can I keep guessing what letter it begins with?'

_'Go right ahead. But I might not tell you if you're right.'_

'I'll take the risk. Is it an A?'

_'Nope.'_

'M?'

_'No.'_

'X?'

_'Maybe.'_

'You're messing with me aren't you?'

_'Yes. XD'_

Butch rolled his eyes: 'Bitch. I guess I have to come up with some kind of nickname for you.'

_'A nickname? Like what?'_

'Not sure. Maybe "Snappy" or "Spitfire"?'

_'Don't you dare use any of those.'_

'You don't like them?'

'_They're not creative enough.'_

'Well, aren't you one big bucket full of sunshine... That's it! We'll call you "Sunsine"!'

_'Oh, for the love of all things good. Really?'_

'Yes, really. Unless you are willing to tell me your name? Or I could just keep giving you pet names?'

_'You're absolutely ridiculous. But fine, you can call me..."Sunshine." Geez. Even the word gives me the heebie-jeebiez.'_

'Are you goth?'

_'Nope.'_

'You seem like the kind of person who would wear a lot of black and stay in the dark.' And as Butch wrote that, Kaoru immediately came to his mind. She wore a lot of black, sometimes with the rare appearance of greys, whites and greens.

_'And you seem like a cocky little shit but you don't see me complaining.'_

Butch smirked: 'Sunshine has no manners.'

_'Sunshine is not a third-person referral.'_

'Sunshine just referred to herself in third-person.'

_'...I hate you.'_

'Can I ask you a question?'

_'Does it have anything to do with my name?'_

'Nope.'

_'Then shoot.'_

'What colour hair do you have?'

She responded with delay and Butch wondered if she was debating whether or not to tell him: _'Black.'_

Butch was surprised. Not because he imagined her as a blonde or anything. But that was it, he had been imagining her as a black-haired girl this whole time and he didn't even realise it.

'Interesting. It suits you...since you're a goth and all.'

_'Ha ha. Very funny. -.-'_

'What colour are your eyes?'

_'Sorry, but you're limited to one identity question per texting session.'_

Butch snorted: 'You really are a bitch. Don't you want to ask me any questions?'

_'I already know who you are.'_

He rolled his eyes: 'I meant any questions about my appearance.'

_'I already told you. I know who you are. I don't need to ask you any questions because I know what you look like.'_

He shot up from his bed. This was news. She had already seen him before? 'What do I look like then?'

_'Black hair. Dark green eyes. You're always in a grumpy mood and you practically reek of "I'm going to snap your neck in half if you don't step ten feet away from me". Oh, and you're a guy.'_

Butch was stunned. She knew who he was. She had been close enough to him before that she knew the colour of his eyes and she had obviously seen him around more than a couple of times since she knew of his anti-social behaviour.

'Do we ever cross paths?'

_'Sorry, but you're limited to one identity question per texting session.'_

'I'm being serious, Sunshine. Do we ever cross paths?'

She replied a minute later: _'Nearly on a daily basis.'_

He was about to ask her to elaborate but his phone showed her status that she had signed off from him. _Damn_.

He sighed and plopped back onto his bed. He and Sunshine ran into each other nearly everyday? And he hadn't even noticed?

* * *

**AN: Bam! I just dropped the whole Narushima-bomb on you, didn't I? Did ya see that coming?**

**Ah, yes. Both Butch and Kaoru can be so immature. I know this chapter seems like a filler, but it does have its connection with the plot. Trust me: the next chapter and onwards will make up for this.**

**This story is really going to start kicking off next chapter and the drama will finally begin to unfold. I have been waiting and thoroughly controlling myself for this moment. ;D**

**So watch out for the next chapter. And like I said: any questions, just let me know.**

**Review, mes amies! X3**


	6. Salmonella-Spreading Psychopath

**AN: And now we're onto the sixth part of the story! My aim is to reach _'Part X'_ by the end of July. Hopefully. So I'm working my butt off here. And then I'll set a target for August when the time comes.**

**Thank you, guys, for your awesome support! This story doesn't even feel like a challenge when you're around! ...was that a cliché confession? Why, yes. :D**

**Now, you may read...**

* * *

_**PART VI:** Salmonella-Spreading Psychopath_

* * *

As the ICT club ended the next day, the students trickled out from the room. Takumi had purposely been ignoring Kaoru's attempts at reconciliation and Kaoru had been trying her best to avoid Butch. Ever since their text conversation from last night, Kaoru had been seriously tense.

Every now and then Butch would either raise an eyebrow at her or look at her as though trying to solve some kind of puzzle.

She was worried that some point he would stand up and point to her, and then say: _"You! You're Dai's sister!"_ And then it would be all over.

But fortunately, he still hadn't figured it out.

Unfortunately, before she could escape the room, he came over to her. "I need to talk to you."

_Great_. "About what?"

He sat down on a chair next to her, "About yesterday."

For a minute she thought he actually had figured out that she really was Dai's sister and that he was going to confront her about it.

But then he said, "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. The lockers and stuff..."

Wait. What? He was apologising? _Butch Jojo_ was apologising? For a pank gone wrong?

"Why?" she asked, looking at him skeptically.

She had every right to, of course. This wasn't like him. But then again, she didn't even know the real him. In school he was practically a dick but when they chatted privately on the phone, he was actually pretty charming. It was like he had a pendulum personality shift. A double persona.

"I shouldn't have brought Takaaki into our fight. I certainly shouldn't have blamed you for it. It was my fault and I feel incredibly guilty."

Kaoru scoffed, "Tell him that."

"I will. But I'm really sorry. You don't have to forgive me. I'm just really sorry things got out of hand like that. I didn't mean to put you into any trouble."

Kaoru sighed. He sounded so sincere and serious. She gave him a slight look-over. He didn't seem to be planning anything.

"Why do you care?"

He shrugged, a slight blush creeping onto his face, "I don't. At least, not like that," he sighed, "What I mean is that those pranks were between the both of us. I shouldn't have set you up like that so that you would get the blame. I felt extremely guilty yesterday. I'm sorry."

She gave him a long hard look, and when he showed no traces of amusement or any other giveaway signs, she slowly nodded, "Alright. I guess I'm pretty sorry too."

He smiled, "I actually didn't think I could win you over so easily. If I did, I wouldn't have made this pizza." He pulled out a large aluminium container from his school bag and handed it to her. "Take it. Be sure to warm it in the microwave first."

A blush crept along her face too and they both looked away nervously as she took the container. "Uh, thanks." Too be honest, she was actually quite surprised. Maybe she misjudged him.

"You're welcome," he replied, equally embarrassed.

They both got up and Butch held the door open for her. Kaoru was about to thank him again when Narushima approached.

"Oh, Kaoru. I just came to remind you about our date tomorrow," he said as he grinned at her.

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah. Thanks. But wait, when are you picking me up again?"

"Seven."

"That's great. See you then."

"See you," he said with a flourish of his hand as he waved goodbye.

She turned around to bid Butch goodbye too when she noticed that he was scowling...at Narushima.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He glared at her, "A date?"

She flinched. What the hell was _his_ problem? "Um, yes. A date. You know, where two people-"

"I know what a date is. I mean, why are you going on a date with _him?"_

"With Narushima? Uh...I dunno, because he asked me?"

"But why did you say yes?"

She frowned at him, "Dude, seriously. What's your problem?"

"My problem? My problem is that you're going on a goddamn date with Narushima, for fuck's sake!"

Kaoru growled at him, "What do you have against him anyway?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because the other day I heard you two arguing."

He looked confused, "What other day?"

"You know, when you both went to the ICT room in the morning and I was..." She trailed off. He wasn't supposed to know that she had been there when they were arguing. He didn't know she was hiding under the table that day.

He was obviously a lot smarter than she gave him credit for because he connected the dots in a matter of seconds. "That was you? _You_ were hiding in the room?"

"Uh...maybe?"

He stood silent for a while, not quite sure what to say. After all, what could he say? Finally he just shook his head and walked away.

* * *

Dai looked up from his studying as Kaoru entered his bedroom. He frowned, "Don't you ever knock?"

"Not in the mood, Dai."

_"Is that your sister?"_ asked a voice.

Kaoru jumped and looked around. There was no one else in the room besides her and Dai.

Dai showed her his phone, "Yeah, Butch. That's her."

Kaoru growled and plopped herself on Dai's bed, a little infuriated. Dai raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

_"Can I talk to her?"_ asked Butch from the other line.

Dai laughed, "Nope."

_"You suck."_

"Mm-hm. She looks a little moody so I'm gonna have to hang up and see what's the matter."

_"Fine. Just leave me hanging here, why don't you."_

Dai rolled his eyes and hung up. Then he turned to his sister, "Something the matter?"

Kaoru threw the aluminium container at Dai and said, "Pizza from Butch."

Dai's eyes widened, "He found out?"

"No, he was being nice to me and decided to make me pizza."

"So you two are finally getting along, huh?"

She huffed, "Not exactly. Is the guy bipolar? I'm not joking, I'm being perfectly serious here: does he have a bipolar disorder or is he SPD?"

"SPD?"

"Schizoid personality disorder."

Dai raised an eyebrow, "I...never asked him before. Why, what happened?"

"He found out that Narushima and I are going on a date tomorrow and he went all psycho on me. Seriously! One minute he's kind and the next he's all angry...at me! And for what? Going on a date?"

Dai narrowed his eyes, "You're going on a date without my permission?"

Kaoru threw her hands up in exasperation, "Not you too!"

"Kaoru, I don't even know this guy! How could you ju-"

"Dai, you'll meet him tomorrow. Don't freak out. And may I just remind you that I'm seventeen. I don't need my big brother checking every single guy I go out with."

His eyes widened, "You've been out with loads of other guys?"

He was practically having a panic attack and she decided to put him out of his misery. "Of course not! Don't you see? Mum's right! I _am_ becoming a recluse!"

"I'm sorry but my brain is still trying to compute that you're dating a guy."

Kaoru snorted, "Dai, Narushima and I aren't in a relationship. It's just one date."

"Exactly! That's how it always starts! A nice conversation leads to a date; a date leads to a kiss; a kiss leads to other possibilities or a relationship; any kind of love interest relationship leads to a bed and-"

"Oh, for goodness sake! See? This is the reason why mum made sure that she gave us _'the talk'_ separately. I swear, if she talked about periods in front of you or something you probably would've passed ou-"

"Ew! Okay, stop it!"

They were silent for a few minutes before Kaoru muttered, "We both have the weirdest conversations sometimes."

"I know, right?"

She turned to him, "Want some ice-cream?"

"Sure. Can you heat the pizza?"

She scoffed, "You want to eat it?"

He nodded, "Well, of course. It would be a waste if we didn't. Besides, you're the one who's holding a grudge against Butch, not me. So I'm allowed to eat his pizza."

She rolled her eyes as she stood up and walked to the door, "Better make sure it's not poisoned," she joked.

"Ha! You're so funny," he mumbled.

* * *

"Don't say 'I told you so'."

Kaoru grimaced as Dai threw up into the toilet again. When he stopped to take a breath she said, "You know, I did warn you that it might be poisoned."

He groaned and threw up again, "Ugh. Okay, maybe you were right. Maybe Butch really _is_ out to get you."

"I just can't believe he went this far. I mean, he looked so sincere when he apologised, but he had actually planned for me to eat the pizza and-"

Dai retched once more and Kaoru stopped talking. She patted his back reassuringly.

"Are you okay?"

He growled at her, "Do I _look_ okay?"

She flinched, "Ah, no. Not really."

"Exactly. ...oh, for the love of-" He reached for the toilet again.

Kaoru showed sympathy. This was the classic case of salmonella food poisoning. She'd done enough Home Economics exams to be able to quickly identify the symptoms.

"Aw, you poor thing."

"Butch is so lucky that he is my best friend or else I would've-"

"There, there," soothed Kaoru, stroking his back, "I think we've both established that he's a salmonella-spreading psychopath."

"A fucking _asshole_ is what he is. I'm gonna kill him the next chance I get," he hissed as he finally moved away from the toilet, his hair clinging to his forehead.

Kaoru gave a nervous smile, "Want me to get the vomiting capsules?"

Dai sighed, "Yes, please."

"Want some ice-cream too?"

"That would be nice."

"What flavour?"

He whined, "I don't care, it's to ease my suffering."

She nodded, "Alright. I'll be right back. Will you be okay?"

He shot a glare at her.

"Alright! Alright! I was just asking!"

Kaoru slipped out of the bathroom and went downstairs to the kitchen. She opened the top cupboard where they kept the medicine and she found a small box of capsules and a tub of Ben & Jerry's in the fridge.

She got a glass to fill some water with and then took one of the capsules back upstairs to the bathroom.

"Dai, I got the- _Geez!_ Are you okay?"

"Nah, I'm fine. You know, except for the fact that I'm _hurling out every single content from my stomach!"_ he snapped.

Kaoru sighed, "Here." She handed him the capsule and the water.

He eyed them suspiciously, "Where is my ice-cream?"

"I'll get it after you take the capsule."

He sighed, "Do I have to?" Her glare told him that yes, yes he did. "Fine."

He reluctantly swallowed down the bitter capsule and swore when he thought it got stuck in his throat.

"These symptoms will probably last for three days so-"

_"Three days?!"_ he cried, gripping onto her shoulders, "I can't suffer like this for three days!"

"Relax! It's Friday today. You have the rest of the weekend to get better."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Yeah. Fucking great, isn't it?"

* * *

Butch grinned to himself that evening after dinner. By now Kaoru should've eaten the pizza and been hurling it back up. Ah, salmonella. She would easily figure out that she had been food poisoned considering she took Home Economics.

He sat on his bed and decided to text Little Miss Sunshine: 'Hey, Sunshine.'

The reply came immediately: _'Now's not really the time, Butch.'_

He frowned: 'Are you busy?'

_'Yes.'_

'What are you doing?'

_'Bye.'_

She had signed off from him.

His good mood came crashing down. Then he sighed angrily to himself. Why the hell was he so hung up on this girl? He hardly ever thought about any girls except Sunshine...and Kaoru.

In his head he could practically see Sunshine and Kaoru being similar. They were both witty...and they both had black hair. He hummed to himself. Speaking of Kaoru...

Didn't she have a date tomorrow?

And with Narushima of all people.

Butch growled. There was something about Narushima that made him feel a little tense. And he had a right to be. Narushima was a great hacker, he would give him that. But there was something unusual about his sudden appearance into the club.

Butch couldn't seem to fathom why but he knew that Narushima was bad news.

And the fact that Kaoru was going on a date with him spelt double trouble. Not that he cared about her or anything, he assured himself. It was just that he couldn't trust Narushima at all.

And now that he was thinking about Kaoru, he remembered what had happened earlier today. He remembered the way she had looked so embarrassed and, unconsciously, he thought about how attractive she really was.

His thoughts halted.

_Woah._ What was _that?_

_Kaoru?_

_Attractive?_

He grimaced but the more he thought about it, the more he realised that she actually _was_ attractive. She wasn't gorgeous or anything. No, definitely not. But she was...quirky. She had a slim figure which wore hoodies and skinny jeans, nearly all of them in the colour black.

She also had messy hair which she always kept in a loose ponytail, but strands always framed her face. Butch thought he had also seen a pencil popped into that ponytail once or twice. Almost like she was some kind of an artist.

He thought about Sunshine. Wasn't she some kind of artist too?

But it wasn't just her looks or personality that cut through to him. It was Kaoru's eyes. They were an olive shade of green but near the iris they glowed brightly into neon.

When she glared at him, there would always be some kind of flash of defiance in them.

He sighed. What the hell? Why was he thinking like this? He hated Kaoru. He hated her.

...didn't he?

The more he thought about the date tomorrow, the more he grew uneasy. He didn't want the date to happen.

He couldn't decide whether it was because of his hatred towards Narushima or his confused feelings towards Kaoru, but he knew one thing:

That date was definitely _not_ going to happen.

* * *

**AN: Drama, drama, drama.**

**You probably hate me for all this drama. But trust me, you're going to absolutely despise me for the horrid amount of drama that will be appearing in the story soon.**

**But you still love me anyway. Right?**

**Oh, by the way. You guys don't think I'm updating way too fast, right? I really hope not, because I don't want to practically shove six chapters a week into your throat. But seriously, if you think I'm going way too fast, just let me know. And then I'll kick it down a notch.**

**And that's the end of my useless rambling. So...see that box down there? Yeah, it's called a '_review box_'.**

**Use it. ;)**


	7. The Date Crasher

**AN: And the story continues!**

**What else can I say, guys? You're all too awesome. Your reviews give me the motivation to work harder!**

**Seriously sorry for not replying to some of your reviews, guys. My internet's been bugging me lately and it took me twenty minutes to update this story. I will hopefully have it sorted out by tomorrow. And then I can reply to your wonderful reviews! n_n**

**And with that said, you may read.**

* * *

_**PART VII:** The Date Crasher_

* * *

A blonde-haired teenager grinned as he went through the many files on the computer.

They had underestimated him.

He would prove his worth now. How dare they say he wasn't a genius? He would show them. He would show them all.

But first he had to take care of the current problem.

Butch was beginning to realise that something wasn't quite adding up and he'd be damned if he let that asshole find out.

Narushima smirked. No, he wouldn't let Butch find out. He was covering his tracks perfectly.

After he finished, he shut down Butch's computer and quietly snuck out of the ICT room. But he failed to notice the floppy disk inserted in the hardrive.

No one ever noticed the floppy disks.

* * *

"How could you do this to me?" cried Dai.

Kaoru sighed, "Bro, look, I'm sorry. But don't worry. Mum's here."

"Mum doesn't know anything about salmonella!"

She grinned, "True. But don't worry, she's going to make sure you're alright. Okay?"

He scowled at her, "I hate you. I also hate Butch too. But how could you leave your poor sick brother here to go on some stupid no-good date?"

She shrugged, "It's just one date. You don't want me to be lonely for the rest of my life, do you?"

"Do you even like Narushima?"

She rolled her eyes, "He's just a friend, Dai. Trust me, we're not in a relationship."

"Then why are you going on a date with him?"

"Well, I figured if I go on a date with him, he won't bother me later on about it."

"Right. Still don't get why you're leaving me."

"Dai-"

"Kaoru! You're date's here!" said their mother from downstairs.

"I gotta go," said Kaoru as she kissed Dai's forehead, "Sleep. You'll feel better. I'll be back in no time."

"You better," he grumbled.

She silently stepped out of his bedroom and made her way downstairs. There, waiting for her, was Narushima. He was sitting on the sofa with her mum and dad.

Kaoru's dad was practically interrogating him, so to put Narushima out of his misery, she walked in, "Hey, guys," she addressed her parents, "I'm going with Narushima. I'll be back before ten, okay?"

Her mother smiled, "Have fun you two."

"Not too much fun," mumbled the father. Kaoru smiled to herself; Dai and her father were so alike sometimes.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be fine," she kissed her father on the cheek and then left with Narushima.

He laughed, "I like your family."

She shrugged, "Well, they're family."

"I like your outfit."

She raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? My mum bought this especially for this date."

He grinned, "I think it's nice. Come on, my car is over here."

"You drive?"

"Yeah. You don't?"

She shook her head, "Can't be bothered. I already have enough stress going on with the exams. I'll take driving lessons when I'm in university or something."

"Good plan. I just had the free time and figured _'why the hell not'_?"

They got into the car and Narushima drove to a fancy Italian restaurant. He opened the car door for Kaoru, "After you, my lady."

She didn't really seem to notice as she looked at the food on the menu outside. "Huh, tasty stuff."

They both entered and ordered their meals. As they waited for their food to come, Narushima turned to Kaoru. "How are you?"

"Uh, pretty good. But my brother's blowing chunks," she paused, "Food poisoning," she added when she saw his confused look.

"Horrible stuff. Hope he gets better soon."

She grinned, "Me too. He's officially made me his errand-person."

He laughed, "Sounds fun."

"You have no idea."

"Are you studying for exams at the moment?"

"Oh, gosh, yes. They're horrendous! I can't wait until they're over and done with next year. Maybe then I can finally breathe."

"What subjects do you take?"

"Home Economics, Art & Design, Photography and Film Studies. What about you?"

"ICT, Chemistry, Physics and Maths."

She wrinkled her nose, "That's a horrible combination." And she immediately thought of Butch. Didn't he take those subjects? Wait, no. He didn't take Chemistry, he took Technology.

"Not if you enjoy it."

"Ugh. No. Just no."

Narushima laughed, "I guess you're not really into the science-stuff, huh?"

She rolled her eyes, "Not really."

Two teenagers suddenly entered the restaurant and Kaoru immediately recognised them.

_Shit._

Narushima was about to turn around then she suddenly grabbed his arm, "I'm having a great time," she said hastily, making sure he didn't see them.

But, unfortunately, Butch and Boomer sauntered over to their table.

Narushima still hadn't noticed them as he covered her hand with his and gave her seductive smile, "Me too."

"Hey, there, Narushima!" said Boomer as he plopped down onto the chair next to him.

Butch gave Kaoru a sly look, "Fancy running into you two."

"Yeah, fancy that," she spat through gritted teeth.

Narushima sighed, "Hey, guys," he muttered.

Butch sat beside Kaoru, "Have they already taken your order?"

"Yes, they took both my and Narushima's orders. As in, they didn't take yours. So why don't you take a seat over there?"

Boomer smiled innocently, "But then we can't have fun together!" he said as he held them in a tight group hug.

Kaoru felt uncomfortable being smushed against Butch and so said, "Boomer, please let go. I'm finding it hard to breathe."

"Oops. Sorry. I guess I did it again," then he grinned and began to sing, _"I played with your heart. And got lost in the game. Oh, baby, baby. Oops, you think I'm in love. That I'm sent from above. But I'm not that innocent."_

Narushima frowned, "What are you two even doing here?"

"Boomer and I wanted to go out and eat. To be honest, we were actually going to go to an Indian take-out or something but then we decided to spice things up a bit and come to a fanshie restaurant. And lookie here, we ran into you guys."

"What a coincidence," muttered Kaoru sarcastically.

"It is, actually. By the way, did you enjoy the pizza yesterday?" There was a mischievous glint in Butch's eyes and it took all of her self-control not to wrap her hands around his neck to strangle the cockiness right out of him.

"I wouldn't know. I threw it straight into the bin," she lied. She couldn't tell him about Dai or else he'd figure out that she was Dai's sister.

Butch frowned, "You didn't eat it? Even after I spent all that time making it for you?"

"Don't act so innocent. I bet you poisoned it or something. How could I eat it knowing you touched it with your own hands? I don't even know where your hands have been!"

"Well, they haven't been anywhere _there_ if that's what you're implying."

Kaoru's face flushed in embarrassment and Boomer coughed to hide his laughter.

Narushima growled, "If you and Boomer are done messing around, then would you please kindly leave?"

Butch and Narushima had a silent stare down. Each challenging the other to back down. Finally Narushima was the first to look away as he grabbed Kaoru's hand, "Come on, let's go eat some place else."

"Wait!" Boomer cried, "Guys! Come on! We were only having fun! Don't let us ruin your date."

Kaoru sighed and turned to look at Narushima, "We've already ordered our food. Let's just eat it quickly and then we can get away from these losers."

He nodded and they both dug into their meals as soon as the waiters arrived.

Boomer looked hungry, "Can I have a bi-"

"No," said Narushima.

He sighed, "You're both so cruel."

Kaoru actually kind of felt bad and so handed over to him her plate of spaghetti. He squealed in delight and began eating immediately.

Butch frowned, "Don't I get to eat anything?"

This time Kaoru was the one to say, "No."

No one bothered to respond as Narushima and Kaoru silently ate their meal and Boomer slurped his spaghetti down. Butch simply scowled at the three of them, watching in envy as his stomach growled.

"Bet you wish you didn't give me that pizza now, huh?" she mocked when she was almost finished.

A few minutes later, Narushima stood up since he was finished, "Come on. Let's go, Kaoru."

Boomer stood up too, "Ooh! Ooh! How about we go to the cinema?"

"How about no?"

"Aw, come on! It'll be so much fun!"

Boomer tugged on Narushima's arm and led him outside the restaurant. That meant only Butch and Kaoru were left at the table.

Kaoru was still eating, pointedly ignoring Butch while he looked down at his fingers, a gloomy expression across his face.

After a moment, she sighed and pushed her plate towards him. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. She simply sat there, looking out the window, not noticing the small genuine smile Butch gave her as he ate the rest of her meal. After he was done, they both got up without a word and went outside to find Boomer and Narushima.

Which wasn't that hard considering that Boomer was practically a hyperactive rabbit today.

"Is...is he okay?" asked Kaoru.

Butch chuckled, "He's on a sugar rush, you see."

"Ah. Hate to see what he's like when he's on drugs."

He raised his eyes in amusement but never got to say anything when Narushima came over. He looked apologetically over to Kaoru, "Uh...I guess we're all going to the movies."

"Boomer went all 'puppy dog face' on you, didn't he?" asked Butch.

Narushima sighed and nodded in defeat, "Yeah."

"Well... I guess we gotta go to the movies then, huh?" said Kaoru as the three of them walked over to Narushima's car where Boomer was excitedly waiting inside.

"What are we watching?" asked Butch.

"Twilight," replied Narushima, "Boomer's choice."

Butch and Kaoru gave each other strange looks but decided not to argue. Boomer was already jumping up and down on the passenger seat so Kaoru and Butch sat backseat instead.

* * *

"This is the part! Oh my goodness! _This is the part!"_ cried Boomer as many girls who surrounded him squealed in excitement too.

"And this is the day when the world went mad," murmured Kaoru.

Butch chuckled in amusement, "This wasn't how you planned the date to go, hm?"

Narushima glared at Butch but couldn't say anything over the fangirls' squealing. Boomer and Butch had decided to sit in between Narushima and Kaoru, much to Narushima's disappointment.

Kaoru looked at her watch; it was 9:30. She had to go home now.

Leaning over Butch and Boomer, she whispered to Narushima, "I have to go home now. It's almost ten."

"Oh, thank heavens. Let's leave."

Narushima was about to stand up but Boomer suddenly dragged him down, "You can't leave yet! You haven't seen the best part!"

Narushima was about to shove him off but then the fangirls bombarded him and forced him to his seat.

Kaoru winced. Guess getting a ride home from her date wasn't an option. And her money had been spent on getting popcorn, so a taxi or a bus wouldn't be valid. She sighed and got up. She'd just have to walk home instead.

Butch got up too, "Here, I'll come with you."

She frowned and shook her head, "No thanks. I'll be fine."

He rolled his eyes, "Are you joking? I don't want to watch this movie. You're giving me a good excuse to leave."

Boomer turned to Butch with wide eyes, "You're leaving the movie?"

"I have to walk Kaoru home, it's getting late."

The Twilight fangirls all sighed dreamily at Butch for being such a gentleman and Boomer nodded, "Oh, that's okay."

Narushima suddenly stood up and snapped, "What? But she's _my _date! _I'm_ supposed to-"

"Be quiet!" hissed Boomer, "We're trying to watch a movie!"

"Oh, for the love of- It's not even _real!_ It's okay if you love the series, that's totally fine! But you're all acting like it's goddamn reality! _It's not real!"_

The fangirls turned and glared at him. Narushima flinched and quickly sat down.

Kaoru sighed, "Fine, whatever." And both she and Butch made their way out of the theatre, and when they were outside, she realised just how dark it had gotten.

Also the fact that it was raining like a bitch.

Butch shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Kaoru. She looked at it skeptically, "What?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You'll catch a cold. Put it on."

She snorted, "What if you put itching powder in it or something?"

He smirked, "I assure you there is no itching powder in my jacket."

"You've lied before."

"That's true. But this time I'm not. Kaoru, I've been wearing the jacket for the past two hours. Trust me, there's no itching powder."

She eyed it suspiciously for a few more seconds before finally taking the jacket and putting it on. It was big and so hung off her body loosely, but it was warm and comfortable nonetheless.

"Thanks," she muttered reluctantly.

"You're welcome. Now, which way is your house?"

"I'll lead the way."

They both walked in silence, but strangely enough it was actually quite nice. The rain pitter-pattered rhythmically against the pavements and the streetlights gave a reflected glow. Cars and people rushing around and the cool night surrounding them. It was nice.

But as they finally neared Kaoru's house, Butch said, "You know, I have a friend who lives on this street."

It took a moment for her to realise that he was referring to Dai.

_Crap._

Then she realised that she couldn't go to her house because then he would know that she and Dai were related.

_Double crap._

She noticed an apartment complex nearby and led him that way.

"You live in this apartment?"

"Uh...yup," she lied.

"Here, I'll walk you to the door."

"Uh, there's no need."

"Don't worry, I have the time."

It looked like he wasn't taking any excuses since he grabbed her hand and entered the apartment.

"Which number?"

"Oh...uh..." She racked her brain for a number. Any number. Frankly, it was hard to think about numbers when the only thought in her mind was how warm and nice his hand felt in hers. "It's...one hundred and twenty-two."

"Let's take the elevator then. Yeah?"

She nodded mindlessly. They both finally reached the twelfth floor of the apartment building and they walked to the door bearing the number '122'. They paused outside the door.

They stood silent for a while, neither of them making a move.

Butch cleared his throat, "Um... I know I kind of ruined your date, but...I actually had fun tonight. So, er, thanks."

Kaoru felt her face grow hot and she looked away, "Oh. Yeah. It...wasn't _too_ bad, I guess."

He gave a shy smile and she thought he actually looked cute when he did that. "I...I guess I'll leave now."

"Yeah... Um, see you."

"...ditto."

He slowly walked away from her, his cheeks flushed and he reached the elevator. Looking back, he saw her hesitantly enter the apartment door and he smiled before the elevator went down, and then he lost sight of her.

* * *

There was a scream. "Who the hell are you?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Wait! Don't call the police! I can explain!"

"Explain what? The fact that you're _creeping into my apartment?"_

"Okay, I know it looks bad. But trust me, this isn't what it looks like."

The girl who had been screaming earlier folded her arms, "You have ten seconds," she growled.

"Iwasonadatewithaguybutthenthisotherguy-"

"Woah! Wait! Slow down!"

Kaoru took a deep breath, "I was on a date with this guy but then this other guy that I know came and crashed our date with his brother. Then the brother decided to go to the cinema to watch Twilight and he practically forced me, my date and the other guy to watch it with him too.

"But then I had to go home so the guy - who wasn't my date - offered to walk me home since it was dark. But the problem is my brother is best friends with him and I don't want to let him know that I'm related to his best friend. And because he knows where my brother lives, I couldn't go home.

"That's why I came here. Just so that the guy doesn't know where I live. Trust me, I'm leaving right now. This was all just a big mistake." She let out a deep breath when she was finished.

The girl raised an eyebrow in bemusement, "Okay... One question: why did you pick _my_ apartment?"

"Oh, that was just random. The number '122' came to my mind so I came here. Nothing personal, of course."

"Right... Who are you anyway?"

"Oh, I'm Kaoru. You?"

"Momoko."

Kaoru seemed to be in deep thought, "Now, why does that name seem so familiar?"

"Well, I'm part of the drama productions in the local school. Some people know me from there."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Of course! Now I remember! I've gone to one of your shows before. Wasn't it last year's play: 'Dreamers & Sleepers'?"

Momoko suddenly grinned from recognition, "Yup. I was Alice Wonder."

"You know, you're a really good actress."

She beamed, "Thanks! You go to the school?"

"Yup. I think I'm a year below you though."

"Interesting." There was a pause. "No offence, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"Don't worry. I have to go anyways."

They both gave each other an awkward goodbye and Kaoru walked out of the apartment building.

"Well... This was one weird night," she muttered before she walked back to her house.

Then she realised she was still wearing Butch's jacket.

"Huh...and he never even asked for it back."

* * *

**AN: Ah! Finally! Momoko has made her appearance in the story!**

**Added a bit of fluff there. Don't kill me, but it was about time that the Greens began to have the feels for each other. Though, rest assured, they still have a lot of differences to get over and problems to solve.**

**It seems that Narushima has become a suspicious character. Can anyone guess his motive?**

**And it's no surprise that Twilight would make an appearance. This is Boomer we're talking about here. But we all still love him despite his unusual habits. :D**

**So...you wanna review? XP**


	8. The Mystery Girl

**AN: You people are way too awesome for your own good. Gah! Your reviews literally feel like someone is hugging me. All warm and fluffy.**

**Too sentimental? Who cares? 8D**

**And thanks for putting up with my horrible grammar lately. Since my iPad likes to autocorrect me even though there's hardly anything to 'correct'. It's annoying the hell out of me. Can't wait to get a new laptop. -.-**

**Just wanted to let you know that every one of you deserves a cookie. But since we're on the Internet, we can all just share some nice virtual cookies instead. ;)**

**And now onto the story!**

* * *

_**PART VIII:** The Mystery Girl_

* * *

Narushima growled as he punched away at the keyboard. How dare he! Butch had just been a nuisance before, but now he was the number one enemy.

How dare he ruin his date?

But no problem, he smirked. He was almost finished with his plan anyway. And when he would be done, the entire Jojo empire would be grovelling at his feet for mercy.

And he would give mercy to all except one. He'd make Butch suffer.

_Definitely._

With enough done for the night, he shut down Butch's computer and headed out of the ICT room.

* * *

"She has to be that one," said Boomer, pointing over to a short teenage girl with black hair.

Butch shook his head, "No, she's wearing too much pink. Sunshine would never wear pink."

"How would you know? Have you ever asked?"

"I don't need to. I just know."

Boomer scoffed, "Whatever you say."

It was Monday and Butch and Boomer were trying to find who could be Dai's sister. They didn't have much to go by except for the fact that this girl took artistic subjects and Home Economics. Oh, and the fact that she had black hair.

"I have an idea," said Butch.

"Oh, boy," groaned Boomer.

He rolled his eyes, "Look, I'll just send a text to Sunshine right now. Then we'll see if any of these girls pick up their phone."

"Hm, that's actually not such a bad idea."

"You say it like you were expecting a bad idea."

Boomer grinned, "I was."

Butch snorted and took out his phone: 'Hey, Sunshine.'

The reply was instant: _'You're not supposed to have your phone out in school.'_

Boomer looked around. There were many girls who were using their phones, but none with black hair. He shook his head at Butch.

Butch rolled his eyes: 'It's lunch time, remember? Where are you?'

_'School obviously.'_

'Any clues as to whereabouts you are?'

_'Remember: you're limited to only one identity question per texting session. Are you sure this is the question you want to ask?'_

Boomer smirked as he read the text alongside Butch, "She's good, I'll give her that."

'Yes.'

_'Are you absolutely sure? You know, once I tell you my location, I can just as easily go somewhere else before you find me, right?'_

Boomer whistled, "She's got you there."

Sunshine texted again: _'Are you sure this is the question you want to ask? Don't you want a different question?'_

"It's almost like she doesn't want us to ask about her location," muttered Boomer.

Butch nodded, "Which is exactly why we're going to ask for her location."

'No, I'll stick to your location.'

A moment passed before she replied: _'I'm in the HE department.'_

Butch and Boomer looked at each other with wide eyes before they quickly scrambled onto their feet and ran for the Home Economics department.

Upon reaching there, they found that there were mostly girls more than boys in the department (which both Butch and Boomer found to be a little sexist).

Then they realised that there were many girls with black hair in the department. But only a few were on their phones.

Butch spotted one girl just outside a classroom door, she had black hair and was wearing apron, not to mention that she was in deep concentration on her phone. He thought she might have been Sunshine so he rushed over to her, only to bump into someone and then he fell down.

"Hey, would you watch where you're going? Some students here carry hot stuff around, what if I was one of them? We _both_ could've been injured!"

Butch looked up to see who he had bumped into. It was Kaoru.

Oh, yes. He'd forgotten she took HE classes.

He looked her up and down. Wow, it was strange seeing her wearing an apron. A thin white coat of flour dusted her left cheek and she was carrying a bowl of still-to-be-made bread.

Ah, yes. There was a HE practice exam practical going on during lunch time today.

That meant none of the HE students could leave the department until their practice exam was finished. No wonder Sunshine hadn't wanted to tell him where she was, she knew she couldn't get away from him.

"What are you doing here?" hissed Kaoru, but Butch saw that there was also panic in those eyes.

"I'm looking for someone."

Suddenly Boomer came and helped them both get to their feet, "Maybe you can help us?"

Kaoru shook her head, "I'm in the middle of a practice exam. I can help you after."

"Can we watch?"

She sighed, "Anyone who wants to watch has to watch from a distance, you're not allowed to distract me, touch me, or even talk to me. Got it?"

They both nodded and she led them the way into one of the HE classrooms to one of the tables. There were seats placed around the tables where a few non-HE students sat to watch the HE students cook.

They went for the entertainment. The HE practical exams were like a live demonstration of MasterChef.

Butch and Boomer took the front row seats near Kaoru's workplace as she began kneading the bread and sprinkling poppy and mustard seeds into it with a bit of olive oil.

After she put the bread mixture into the oven to bake, she started cracking eggs and separating the whites. Butch immediately recognised her method to make meringues. And he was correct when she brought out an electric whisk and some sugar.

He also noticed the phone that was half visible in the back pocket of her jeans. Almost as though it had been put there in a rush.

"That looks delicious," said Boomer, picking up a warm chocolate muffin from Kaoru's table.

She snatched it from his hand and hissed, "No talking!"

"Sorry, sorry. I forgot." He sat back down again.

About half an hour later, she was finished and she began to clear the plates and wipe down the tables.

Boomer tapped her shoulder, "Are we allowed to talk yet?"

She grinned, "Yes."

Butch quietly observed her as the two made conversation. He had taken Home Economics before, so he knew the amount of skill needed to prepare the dishes in such a limited time.

To be honest, he was actually impressed by Kaoru.

Not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

"So will you help us find Sunshine?" asked Boomer.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "Sunshine? The sun's outside, Boomer. You can find plenty of sunshine there."

Butch stood up, "Sunshine is a person. She's my best friend's younger sister. Sunshine isn't actually her name though, it's just a nickname."

"Oh. Um, why are you trying to find her?" asked Kaoru, fiddling with her fingers. Butch thought she actually looked nervous about something.

He shrugged, "We need to see her."

"Okay, what's her name?"

"We don't know her name."

"Do you know anything about her?"

"She's got black hair," piped Boomer.

Butch nodded, "She also takes HE, Art & Design, Photography and Film Studies."

"Um, no. That...that doesn't really ring a bell."

Butch narrowed his eyes at Kaoru, "You're stuttering. Are you trying to hide something?"

Boomer's eyes widened, "You know who Sunshine is, don't you?"

Kaoru gave a nervous laugh, "Pfsh, please, guys. _As if._ Why would I know Sunshine? And if I did, I wouldn't be hiding any information about her at all!" But the panicked expression on her face said otherwise.

Butch smirked, "Where is she, Kaoru?"

"She's nowhere! You'll never find her!"

"What's her name?"

"No!" And with that, Kaoru ran straight out the room.

Butch and Boomer were about to run after her but then the HE teacher came over to them, "Since Kaoru's just left, you're going to have to clean up that mess." He pointed over to the table where Kaoru had been working.

Stacks of unclean plates and equipments were piled on one side. The other side still had flour and oil spread over the surface.

It really was a mess.

The two brothers groaned.

"Oh, and you'll have to wear the aprons."

They groaned again.

"And the hair net."

They groaned once more but did as they were told.

* * *

Dai yawned. It was getting late. He put away his textbooks and then got up, walking towards his sister's bedroom. After opening the door, he saw Kaoru fast asleep.

She was curled into a ball on her bed, still having not changed into her pyjamas. A sketchbook, watercolour paint tubes and different shades of pencils were scattered across the bed and the floor.

Dai smiled to himself. She must've been working on her art project.

He picked up the stray pencils and paint tubes and placed them neatly on her desk along with the sketchbook. He lifted the blanket over her and tucked her in.

"Goodnight, baby sister," he whispered, still smiling.

He heard his phone make a sound and knew he'd just received a text. Stepping out of her room quietly, he closed the door and then checked the message.

It was from an unknown number.

_'I need you to do something for me.'_

Dai frowned: 'Who is this?'

_'You don't need to know that. But what you do need to know is that I know who you are.'_

He scowled. He knew he shouldn't be replying back, but curiosity got the best of him: 'Who are you and what do you want?'

_'I need you to send me the empire's back-up files.'_

Dai growled. What the fuck? Who was this and how did they know about those files? 'This isn't funny. Quit messing around. Who are you?'

_'Send me those back-up files or else.'_

He snorted: 'Or else what?'

_'I'm glad you asked. You have a younger sister, don't you?'_

Dai's face immediately paled and he lost his composure: 'Stay away from her.'

_'She's so pretty, isn't she? She looks beautiful. Wears a lot of black too. I wonder how red looks on her? I'm thinking blood red. Your opinion?'_

He gritted his teeth: 'You sick bastard. I swear. You better stay away from her. I will call the police.'

_'And tell them what? That you're a hacker? Please, I know all about your little club. I know all your secrets with Brick and Butch. I know all about the three of you. So what will you tell the police?'_

'I'll find you.'

_'Don't push your luck. You have two weeks. Send me those files or we'll take your little sister for a bit of fun.'_

The person signed off without giving Dai a chance to even reply. Not that he really had much to say. Then he panicked.

What was he supposed to do now?

Oh, god. _Kaoru._

He couldn't let that ass hurt Kaoru.

No, not his little sister.

But what could he do now?

* * *

Brick jumped when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to find the culprit: Butch.

"Miss me?"

Brick scoffed, "As if."

"Stalking as always, I see."

He sighed, "God, I just don't know what to do."

Butch rolled his eyes, "Bro, you like her. And she likes you back. It's so simple. You've just got to make the first move."

It was the next day and the two brothers were in the school's theatre hall, sitting in the seats, cloaked by the darkness. It was after school, so no one else was there save for the drama students who were rehearsing for this year's school play on the stage.

Momoko was one of those students.

Brick watched her dreamily and almost fell of his seat.

Butch smirked. Normally Brick was the commanding one of their trio of brothers, but when it came to Momoko, he was as good as melted butter.

The rehearsals finally finished and Butch practically shoved Brick towards Momoko.

He fell into her arms and they both blushed as he quickly straightened and apologised. He made sure to shoot a glare at his green-eyed brother who was leaning back in one of the seats, watching and grinning.

Momoko was the first to speak, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were watching us. I would've-"

"No, no. It's fine. If you knew we were there you wouldn't have-"

"But I insist-"

"But I'm perfectly-"

"I mean it."

"So do I."

They stood in silence for a while before bursting out laughing.

"Okay, let's start over," Brick smiled, "Hi, I'm Brick."

"I'm Momoko."

"Would you like to go out with me some time?"

Momoko gave a shy smile, "Maybe... Yes."

The other drama students who had been watching began applauding and the two lovebirds grinned sheepishly.

Butch gave a small smile before quietly disappearing out the theatre, letting Brick have his moment.

* * *

**AN: Ah, a BrickxMomoko moment. As fluffy as it should be.**

**And what's this? Drama? An anonymous text? Any idea where this story is going? I've been planning this for quite some time. There may or may not be another familiar character appearance soon. But no secretive spills now...**

**Trust me, guys, when I say that things are gonna get seriously twisted. But I'll give you a warning before that happens. I might bump the rating of this story up to an 'M' rather than a 'T' when the time comes. But I think we're pretty safe for now.**

**Speaking of 'safe', it seems that Butch is seriously close to figuring out who Sunshine is. Kaoru needs all the help she can possibly get.**

**And with that said...review, my pretties!**

**Yes, that was a totally shameless witch reference. No regrets, people. X3**


	9. Calm Before the Storm

**AN: So tired... I haven't had much sleep recently.**

**I'm work-shadowing a chef and he's crazy. I swear. He throws onions at me when I mess up the cooking. I know it's just an onion, BUT STILL! Surely that must be illegal. But I have to admit that he's a great cook and throwing things at me does help motivate me to try harder. Mostly because I'm scared...**

**So this chapter may be less committed to than usual, but once I've finished writing this story, I'll come back and fix the chapters.**

**Now, before I bring you all down with my depressing talk, go ahead and read! 8D**

* * *

_**PART IX:** Calm Before the Storm_

* * *

After school, Kaoru decided to stay in the art department to finish off her project. If she didn't get it done now, she would never finish it before the deadline.

She dabbed a few inks here and there across a blank palette before getting the right colour. A large canvas was propped onto an easel.

The picture was of a girl falling down into the sea, surrounded by underwater beauty but she herself was caught and strangled by barbed wires and blood floating around her.

It was a bit graphic to say the least.

But the theme for the fortnight was 'impact'. And Kaoru was sure this would be more impact than anything else.

See, her art teacher had this thing where he would give a theme every fortnight in which the art students had to work around that certain theme, just so they could 'keep the creative juices flowing'. His words, not hers. It was almost like creative writing, except this was hardcore illustration.

After a long two hours, it was 6pm when Kaoru had finally finished for the day. And it was getting dark, she noticed, when she looked out the window.

She quickly packed up her things and shoved them into her large art folder before picking up her messenger bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

She walked out of the school and it looked almost deserted save for a few teachers who were loitering around their cars and chatting animatedly with one another. Looking up to the sky, she saw how dark it had gotten because of the rain clouds. In fact, it almost looked like there was going to be a storm.

Since Dai had gotten better from his food poisoning, Kaoru decided to call him to see if he could pick her up.

No signal.

She could hear static on the phone. It must've been the storm messing with the signal.

Guess she'd have to walk home now. Well, at least it wasn't raining or anything. And just as she had thought that, hail pounded down from the sky and onto the concrete of the pavement and road.

_Great._

She pulled up the hood from her jacket over her head to shield herself from the hail.

After a few minutes of walking, she got the strange suspicion that she was being watched. She turned around, but no one was there. She was going down a lone road. And it was becoming much darker. She could see the lightning forming behind the black clouds in the sky.

She tried not to be scared; but in the back of her mind, horror music played out. And something kept nagging her that at any moment someone was going to pop out of any one of these dark alleys and drag her into them.

A sudden sound made her jump.

She whipped around only to find Narushima in his car. He had slowed down beside her to the pavement and was honking his horn to gain her attention.

"Hey, there," he said as he rolled down the window, a dazzling smile adorning his face.

Kaoru was surprised to see him. They actually hadn't seen each other since the date on Saturday. Then, for the first time. she thought about how many other girls he had used this charming smile of his to get away with what he wanted. How many other girls did he take on dates?

She frowned. They weren't dating, she knew that. But it was an uncomfortable thought. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "I was just going home, but then I saw you and decided that maybe you needed a lift?"

"I don't need a lift."

He smirked, "Are you sure about that? I hear there's a nasty storm on its way."

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

"Your artwork is going to get wet."

He was right.

The hail had finally turned into a strong rush and her art work would be completely ruined by the time she got home if she walked. But there was still something nagging her in the back of her mind. Something telling her that this was a bad idea.

She gave a forced smile, "I'll be fine."

He snorted, "I doubt it."

"I don't want to bother you."

"It's no bother. Trust me."

But that was the thing, she _couldn't_ trust him. She barely knew him.

She had only agreed to go on the date last week because she had told her parents about it and they had been eating out in public. With witnesses. Kaoru wasn't that careless, she read enough newspaper articles to know how one small mistake could lead to something life-threatening.

But this? There was nobody around in this street, and he was asking her to take a ride in his car. Alone.

She realised that she didn't trust him. There was something discomforting in his smiles and charms and good looks.

She shook her head, "I'll be fine. I told you."

He sighed, "I need to talk to you."

"Talk to me in school tomorrow," she said while walking away.

He stopped the car and got out.

What the hell? Why wasn't this guy leaving her alone?

He reached her and said, "It's about us."

"What about us?" she muttered, looking around. Looking anywhere except into his eyes.

Narushima sighed again, "That date..."

"It was fine."

"I really like you, Kaoru."

Crap.

No, no, no. Not this. Not _this._

He liked her?

Kaoru knew he was a bit of a flirt and all, but she had thought she'd made it clear that she wanted to be just friends. She hadn't said or done anything to even suggest that she was interested in him.

The date was more like a fun outing for her. She hadn't meant this to happen. She didn't like him that way. Heck, she barely knew the guy! But to think that he had liked her all this time...and she hadn't even noticed...

"But I don't even know you that well..." she murmured.

He gave a small smile, "That doesn't matter..." he trailed off as he leaned in close and tilted her chin up towards him.

She knew what was going to happen now. But why did this feel so wrong?

The image of Butch quickly flashed into her mind and she realised why. She couldn't do this. She just couldn't.

And so when his lips almost touched hers, she quickly pushed him away.

"I'm so sorry," she blurted, "But I can't do this."

He looked stunned, "W-why?"

She took a deep breath, "Narushima, I think you're a nice guy and all. But I don't feel that way about you. I-"

"It's Butch, isn't it?" he growled.

She flinched. She'd never seen him so...angry. She sighed, "Look, I don't know, Narushima. But I know that we're not supposed to be like this. I'm sorry, I really am. I don't mean to hurt you. But... Can we please talk about this some other time?"

He shook his head, "You know what? Forget it. Just forget it." He stormed away back to his car and drove off, leaving her stranded on the street.

Kaoru sighed. Fuck. There was going to be _hell_ to pay.

What the heck did she do to deserve this? She didn't want any of this!

Love was a messy business, she decided.

Shaking her head, she checked her phone again to see if any signal turned up. When she realised she did have signal, she quickly called her brother.

"Dai?"

_"Are you alright? I'm so sorry! I've been trying to call you but the storm-"_

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can you just pick me up?"

_"Of course. Where are you?"_

She told him the name of the street and he said that he would be there in a few minutes. As she put her phone back into her pocket, she looked up at the sky. Thunder boomed from above, yet no sign of lightning.

She sighed and closed her eyes as the pounding of rain covered her in its wake.

* * *

"I'm going to her house tomorrow!" sang Brick.

Ever since Momoko agreed to go out with him earlier today, Brick had practically been on Cloud Nine. And as Butch and Boomer were working on their homework, they realised that he wouldn't be coming down anytime soon.

"Isn't love great?"

Boomer snorted, "Yeah, just peachy."

Butch rolled his eyes, "Now would you please let us do our homework in peace?"

Brick tutted, "Now, now. There's no need to be jealous."

Butch and Boomer smirked at each other and raised an eyebrow at Brick.

"Oh, my gosh! I don't even know what to wear!"

"Just wear your zebra-print blazer and my yellow jeans. I'm sure you'll look great," muttered Butch.

Brick's eyes widened, "That's it! Boomer! You're great at fashion! Help make me look good!"

Boomer smirked, "Only if Butch admits I'm not gay."

Butch stuck his tongue out, "I can't admit something that's not true."

"Hey!"

They both started smacking each other and throwing the other off the sofa.

Brick glared at Butch, "Do it."

Butch raised an eyebrow, "Do what?"

"Tell him that he's not gay."

"But he is."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Butch! Just tell him!"

Butch sighed and reluctantly muttered, "You're not gay."

"I'm sorry, what?" mocked Boomer.

"You're not fucking gay, you prick!" he growled before shoving his younger brother off the sofa.

Brick smiled, "Now will you help me?"

Boomer grumbled as he stood up, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

The household phone began to ring and Boomer went to pick it up. "Good evening, this is Boomer Jojo. Who am I speaking to?"

Brick and Butch watched as their younger brother listened intently on the phone.

"Oh, hey, Dad," he said, "Yeah, we're doing good."

Butch rolled his eyes, "Dad? Really?" he muttered to Brick.

Brick raised an eyebrow, "He's not that bad."

"Please, he doesn't even have the time to come over and spend some quality time with us."

"He's busy with the empire, Butch. And you know he cares about us."

"Sure he does."

Boomer was still talking on the phone, "Oh, really? A meeting? So when do you think you'll be back?" A pause. "That late? That's okay, I'll let my brothers know. Thanks for calling, Dad." And then he hung up.

Butch sighed, "Let me guess: emergency meeting? Coming home late?"

Boomer nodded, "Told us not to wait for him."

"Wasn't planning to."

He got up from the sofa and began to walk upstairs but then Brick dragged him back down. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um... My bedroom?"

"No way. You and Boomer are helping me decide my outfit, remember?"

Butch groaned, "Oh, for fuck's sake."

"Not my fault you can't get a girl."

Boomer raised an eyebrow at Brick, "Oh, contrary, my dear brother. See, Butch already has his eyes set on someone."

Butch snapped his head towards Boomer and eyed him suspiciously, "What the hell are you on about?"

"I'm talking about Kaoru. You like her, don't you?"

Butch didn't need to say anything. The sudden tint of red in his cheeks was enough to confirm their suspicions. They snickered.

"That's not funny," he growled.

"But it's true."

Brick laughed, "Ha! You have a crush on the new girl from the Hackerz group?"

"Shut up. Both of you!"

"Ooh! Butch and Kaoru, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Butch began to chase Boomer around the living room, "Get back here, you little shit!"

Brick snickered and sang, "First comes love!"

"Then comes marriage!" added Boomer.

"Then comes the baby in the golden carriage!" they both sang.

Butch glared at them, "You two are such dicks! Quit acting like children!"

"But that's not all. That's not all. The baby's drinking alcohol," said Boomer.

Brick laughed, "And that's not all. That's not all. The baby's driving you up the wall!"

_"You two_ are driving me up the wall!" cried Butch, smacking Boomer and tackling him to the ground.

"This is hilarious!" said Brick, "I can't believe you, _Butch Jojo,_ are in love!"

Butch got up from Boomer and then tackled Brick to the ground instead.

* * *

Dai went to Kaoru's bedroom to see if she was alright. Ever since he brought her home this evening, she had been very quiet. Almost...depressed.

He remembered the threat the person had sent to him yesterday on the phone and wondered if his little sister had been confronted. The thought made him feel sick. He hadn't been able to sleep properly last night.

Who was this guy?

He opened the door, "Kaoru?"

She was standing, looking our the window, her back turned to him. She didn't look at him when she replied, "Yeah?"

He frowned. Something was definitely wrong. She was never this quiet. "Are you alright?"

She sighed and finally turned to look at him, "I honestly don't know the answer to that."

"What happened?" he asked softly as he sat down on her bed.

"It's Narushima..." she muttered.

He was about to jump off the bed and threaten her to tell him what the asshole did to her; but then he realised that it wouldn't be appropriate in this situation and she'd probably be scared to tell him anything.

He took a different approach. He gave a considerate expression, "The guy who you went on that date with?"

"Yeah. He..." she trailed off, unsure if she should even be saying this aloud.

Dai patted the spot beside him on the bed, gesturing for her to come sit beside him. She did. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Today he... He said he liked me. More than just a friend."

Dai nodded, "Then?"

Kaoru sighed, "I... I like him, but not like that. I like him as a friend to hang out with." She paused and then continued, "H-he tried to kiss me..." she muttered.

Her brother started to hyperventilate, "H-he what?" he choked.

She put her hands up in the air, exasperated, "Oh, for goodness sake, Dai! _Really?"_

"Sorry, sorry... I get it, you're a grown woman. Blah, blah, blah. But that's still not acceptable in my book. But fine, keep talking. He kissed you and then...?"

She shook her head, "I didn't kiss him."

He looked relieved, "Oh, thank goodness! That makes this conversation a whole less awkward!"

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she watched his reaction. She rolled her eyes, "No, I didn't kiss him. I told him that I didn't want us to be anything more... But I guess he got really angsty because he just left."

She made sure not to mention Butch into the conversation. She still wasn't quite sure what her feelings for him were; but even she did, she wouldn't tell Dai about it.

Dai shook his head, "Don't worry about it, sis. You did the right thing. You didn't like him and you told him the truth. It's better than lying and pretending. And he'll understand that. Just not now."

Suddenly Kaoru felt a whole lot better. She smiled and hugged her brother, "Thanks."

"Well, you know me. I'm just your average Dr. Phil."

She pulled away from him and punched him in the arm, "Why can't you ever be serious?"

"Because being serious is for losers," he said, grinning.

* * *

Later that night, before Dai went to sleep, he found a message on his phone. He didn't know the number and he felt dread in the pit of his stomach.

_'Hand over the files by Monday.'_

Dai scowled: 'That's less than a week! You gave me two weeks last time I remembered.'

_'Yeah? Well I changed my mind. Monday or your sister won't see the light of next Tuesday.'_

'How do I know you're not just messing with me? How do I know that you even know my sister?'

_'You want proof? Very well then...'_

What was written next on the series of texts made Dai's jaw drop and his complexion pale: 'Stop.'

_'You believe me now?'_

'Yes.'

_'Good. Maybe now you'll finally understand what a serious situation you're in.'_

'You're blackmailing me.'

_'Only to gain what I want.'_

'You're one sick bastard, I swear.'

_'I've been called worse. Now hurry up and get to it. Tick tock. The clock is running.'_

The person signed off from him and Dai put his head in his hands.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do now?" he mumbled.

* * *

**AN: Drama and suspense much? Definitely. I'm still not going to reveal the answer of the anonymous sender because it will be revealed soon. So, until then, you can keep guessing to your heart's content. XD**

**And hopefully that scene with the brothers will give you a better understanding of their relationship with each other. I love putting those three in the same room. Something fun always happens.**

**And it seems that Butch is in denial at the moment, eh? He's finally begun to realise that he likes the girl whereas Kaoru is still confused.**

**You guys are gonna love the next two chapters. They're the chapters you've been waiting for for a long time.**

**So, until then...review? ;)**


	10. Pandora's Box

**AN: Thank you for being so patient, my dears! On a side note, I've reached Chapter 10 within four weeks so I feel pretty awesome at the moment. Next target? Chapter 15.**

**Now, presenting the long awaited drama...**

* * *

_**PART X:** Pandora's Box_

* * *

The Jojo Enterprises was one of the biggest and well-known companies in Japan. But more commonly it was known as an empire. It was formed eighteen years from this date. Seven years ago, when Japan had been hitting a crisis with privacy issues on their electronics and hackers were on a confident streak, citizens were desperate for technology securement.

That was when Dr. Jojo, founder of Jojo Enterprises and one of the top programmers in Tokyo City, developed a safe and stable security system for computers. And a few years later, he and many other technicians developed the famous security system for smartphones: JojoTechLock.

It was popular among all citizens. And the most important thing: it worked tremendously. Most people with smartphones in Japan used it, and over twelve million citizens in Tokyo City used it too. That was nearly the whole population.

Although many people knew of Dr. Jojo and his company, only few acknowledged the fact that he had three sons; each of the same age: Brick, Butch and Boomer.

And scarcely few people knew that those three sons were actually very good programmers and hackers. And no one but themselves knew that they had once hacked into the mainframe of Jojo Enterprises and copied a back-up of the entire JojoTechLock security system.

They never told anyone. Well, no one except Dai who had been part of it too. They swore never to speak of it. They saved the files and they hardly even remembered it after so many years.

That was why Dai was so scared.

This person who was texting him, threatening him...blackmailing him knew about those files. How?

No one was supposed to know.

They had been keeping this a secret for so long, not even the Hackerz group knew about this.

No one was supposed to know.

And suddenly, the secrets were spilling out, and everything they feared was coming alive. Just like Pandora's box.

They shouldn't have done it in the first place. They were just messing around. After all, they were only twelve. They had tried to delete the files before, but it never worked. The files were permanent, they couldn't be deleted. And even to this day, the empire's back-up files were still there on Butch's school computer. But changed under a different name.

No one was supposed to know.

And no one did...

...until now.

* * *

_Shit, I'm late!_

Kaoru ran through the halls with her messenger bag flying behind her.

She was late for registration. She had to get there quick.

Unfortunately, she'd been so tired last night, she'd forgotten to turn on her alarm clock. Which was why she was stuck in this mess.

As she ran she crashed into someone.

"Damn. Really sorry about that," she muttered as she sat up.

"Oh, no problem. Are you late?"

Kaoru looked up. The two stared at each other and then their eyes widened in recognition.

"You!" they both shouted.

"You're the crazy lunatic who tried to sneak into my apartment last week!"

"For your information, this crazy lunatic has a name: Kaoru Matsubara. And I wasn't sneaking. I already told you, I was trying to get away from a guy and-"

"Stop. I don't need a repeat."

Kaoru rolled her eyes and stood up, brushing away the dirt from her clothes, "Your name's Momoko, isn't it?"

"Yeah... I know you said you went to this school and all, but I didn't think I'd actually run into you. Er, literally."

"Yeah, neither did I."

They both just stared at each other for a while.

Kaoru finally broke the silence, "So how have you been?"

Momoko raised an eyebrow, "Alright... I've been rehearsing for this month's play."

"Really? Sounds awfully interesting."

She rolled her eyes, "And how are you, _Kaoru Matsubara?"_

Kaoru shrugged, "Good, good. A bit of boy trouble here and there."

They both looked at each other and laughed.

"Okay, maybe we got off on the wrong foot," said Momoko, "You seem pretty non-crazy for a lunatic who tried to sneak into my apartment."

Kaoru smirked, "Well, what did you expect? After all, I'm just your average girl...if you count the fact that I have a thing for green and black and I'm a natural at pranks."

Momoko grinned, "Hm, sounds pretty average to me. I'd like to actually have a proper conversation with you sometime."

"I don't play for that team."

Momoko scoffed, "I meant as friends, idiot."

"Yeah, that sounds pretty frisky too."

She rolled her eyes, "Don't you have a registration group to go to?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Oh, shit! I forgot! I'm late!" Then she looked at Momoko, "What about you, Miss Broadway? Aren't you late too?"

Momoko smirked, "I'm excused. I have rehearsals in the morning, remember?"

"Damn you."

* * *

"And voíla! A Boomer original."

Brick smiled at his younger brother while he checked himself in the mirror, "Thanks so much, Boomer. I owe you one."

"I'll collect on it later."

Butch sighed impatiently, "Come on, guys. I don't have all day."

Brick glared at him, "Dude! It's not like you even have a proper transport! So quit acting like a bitch and let me take my time to get ready!"

"Hey! Don't make fun of Bad-Ass. She's amazing, okay?"

Boomer snickered, "Yeah, when we were _eight_."

Brick sighed, "Honestly, Butch. Can't you learn how to drive a car instead?"

Butch sneered, "You're the one to talk. Neither of you two have any kind of transport-"

"Except our feet," interrupted Boomer.

"-at least I have a mode of transport. So quit complaining. You're lucky I'm even wasting my precious time to take you up to your freaking girlfriend's house."

After more arguing and whining, the three brothers finally went outside to the garage. That was where they kept Bad-Ass. Technically, she belonged to Butch; but when they were younger, the three brothers used to share her.

Who was Bad-Ass?

Well, to put it bluntly: she was a bicycle.

Actually, a tandem bike was a more accurate description. It fitted two people to ride while it had a spare seat at the very back for one person to relax. So altogether, it held three people.

But that wasn't what made Brick cringe every time he saw the bike. Oh, no. It was the _appearance_ of the bike.

Straightforward, it was pink. Bright. Glittery. _Pink_. There were purple metallic ribbons on the handlebars and a flower basket at the front.

Frankly, if there was anything in the universe that could destroy a man's pride and masculinity, this was it.

"Come on, guys," Butch urged as he sat in the front seat.

Brick sighed. He was never going to hear the end of this from Momoko, but it wasn't like he had any other choice. He sat at the very back where he could rest and not ruin his outfit by riding.

Boomer sat in the seat behind Butch and laughed at Brick's expression, "Lighten up. I'm sure the girl digs a guy with a bike."

Brick growled, "That's not funny."

"Really? Seems pretty funny to me."

"Boomer! Time for some man power!" joked Butch.

That was what they always said before they began to ride the bike. As they rode it out of the garage, a little kid on a tricycle rode around their lawn.

"Hey! Get off our property, you little squirt!" yelled Butch.

The kid was just a young boy. He stared at Butch's bike and laughed, "You're girly!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

_"Am not!"_

_"Are too!"_

"Oh, for goodness sake! Butch! Quit acting like a five-year-old! It's just a kid! Ignore him! Maybe then he'll go away," snapped Brick.

"But he's questioning my manliness!"

"You have no manliness! Now, let's leave it at that, shall we?"

Butch shot his older brother a glare but said nothing more as he and Boomer began to ride through the streets. They lived near the suburbs of the city, which was why it took some time to reach the urban area. And even more time to find the apartment complex that Momoko lived in.

Butch grinned as he got off the bike, "Kaoru lives in this apartment building. Maybe I'll pay her a visit."

Boomer raised an eyebrow, "How do you know Kaoru lives here?"

"I walked her home from the cinema last Saturday. You were watching Twilight, remember?"

"Oh, yeah!"

Brick gave a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows, "Oh, so you walked the girl home and you tell us that you're not into her?"

Butch glared at him, "Hey! It was dark! You're not supposed to let a woman go home all alone in the dark. Bad things happen."

"You never cared before. So why the sudden change?"

His face heated up and he looked away, not responding to the question.

Brick then raised an eyebrow at Boomer, "And why the hell were _you_ watching Twilight?"

He shrugged, "The drama. The romance. It was all there."

Brick rolled his eyes and got off the bike. Then he began to panic. "Guys, I can't do this."

"Sure you can," said Butch, "You just go up to the front door, walk across the lobby, take the elevator and go to her apartment. Easy."

Brick shook his head, "Butch, come with me."

"But I-"

_"Butch!"_ he screeched.

Butch sighed, "Fine, fine, whatever."

Boomer grinned, "I think I saw a Starbucks a few streets down. Come find me there when you're done, Butch."

"Got it."

Brick and Butch walked into the lobby and then took the elevator to the twelfth floor.

Butch smirked, "Oh, yeah. I'm definitely visiting Kaoru now. She lives on this exact floor."

"Lucky for you," muttered Brick.

He looked to the piece of paper in his hand where Momoko had written down her address on it. The door number was '122'. And that's exactly where he stopped.

Butch raised an eyebrow, "Why are we stopping?"

"Because this is it. This is her apartment."

"No... This is Kaoru's apartment."

"No... This is _Momoko's_ apartment."

Butch rolled his eyes, "Brick. I know for sure this is Kaoru's apartment."

"Yeah? Well, right here it says: 122," said Brick, pointing to the paper in his hand, "That means that this is _Momoko's_ apartment."

He knocked on the door and a few moments later, sure enough Momoko opened it. She smiled when she saw him, "Hi. I thought you wouldn't find the place."

"It took some time. But I made it."

Butch frowned, "Wait. This is _your_ apartment?"

"Well, technically it's my parents' apartment. But, yeah."

"Are you sure this is 122?"

"Definitely. I've been living here for thirteen years. I would remember."

"Uh..." Maybe he got the wrong door number. Yeah, that was it. "Are you familiar with your neighbours?" he asked.

"Only the residents on this floor. Why?"

"Do you know Kaoru? She's seventeen. Do you know which number she is?"

Momoko grinned, "You mean Kaoru Matsubara? Funny you asked, I was actually talking to her this morning. But no, she doesn't live here. Actually, for a fact, I know she doesn't live in this building."

Butch's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Would you two like some hot chocolate?" she offered, sensing something was very wrong with Butch's behaviour.

Even Brick seemed to be a bit suspicious, "What's wrong?"

Butch ignored him and asked Momoko, "Matsubara? Kaoru _Matsubara?"_

"Yup, that's her name."

Suddenly, Brick's eyes widened too and he turned to Butch. They both connected the dots immediately, "Dai Matsubara," they said.

* * *

"How dare she!"

Butch quickly parked Bad-Ass carelessly in front of the Matsubara residence.

"How _dare_ she!"

He knocked on the door angrily. A few minutes later, the mother of the household opened the door. "Hello, there."

Butch repressed his anger for a short moment as he flashed her a dazzling smile, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Matsubara. I'm Butch, Dai's friend. Is he here?"

"Yes. I'll call him down. Come inside, dear."

He sat down on the sofa in the living room as the mother went off to call Dai. After a moment, Dai waltzed into the room.

"Butch! How you been, buddy?"

Butch gritted his teeth, "You _asshole!"_

"...excuse me?"

"How _dare_ you!"

"Uh...Butch? What are you talking about?"

"Kaoru Matsubara."

There was silence.

"Oh."

More silence.

"Well, why are you so angry?"

Butch shot him an icy look, "Where is she? Maybe then I'll enlighten the both of you."

"Um...she's upstairs."

"Get her. _Now."_

"O-okay..."

A few minutes later the two siblings returned. "Dai, what the hell? What's so important that-"

Kaoru stopped talking when she saw _Butch_ standing in their living room!

"Shit."

Dai frowned, "'Shit'? What do you mean 'shit'? What did you do?"

Butch gave a bitter laugh, "What _didn't_ she do? Sit down, both of you."

Dai raised an eyebrow, wondering why Butch was so angry. Kaoru, on the other hand, knew she was screwed. They both sat down nonetheless.

Butch looked at Dai, "That's your sister."

"Uh...yeah. Well done."

"Yeah, fucking great. Maybe you should've given me a hint that- No. Wait. I shouldn't be blaming you. Did you know about this?"

"Know about what?"

"The pranks?"

Dai furrowed his eyebrows, "Pranks? What pranks?" Then he looked at Kaoru, "Pranks? Really? Care to tell me something?"

"Yes, enlighten us, Kaoru."

Kaoru felt like she was a deer caught in headlights. And there was no way to escape this time. She'd finally been caught. Of course she knew it was bound to happen some time, she just didn't think he'd figure it out so quickly. Damn, Butch was a whole lot smarter than she gave him credit for.

"Uh... Well..." She glanced at Dai and then quickly pointed at Butch, "He started it!"

Butch's eyes widened in surprise, "What?"

"Exactly! Yes, exactly! There I was, innocently enjoying my time in the ICT club on my first day, when suddenly he pops out of nowhere and just... He just _glares_ at me! I didn't even do anything!" Then she turned to Butch, "Admit it! You hated me from Day One! I was trying to be nice! And you just came to ruin my life!"

Butch gritted his teeth, "Excuse me? Ruin your life? At least _I'm_ not the one pretending to be someone who I'm not! You lied to me! You gave me a phoney address! How dare you!"

Dai raised an eyebrow, "Uh...I'm just gonna leave you two to figure this one out." But they didn't hear him leave the room.

"I didn't want you to know!"

"Why the hell not?"

"Because..." Kaoru hesitated, "You hated me. But I also knew you were my brother's best friend. I didn't want to ruin your friendship. I thought, since you hated me, you'd hate him too. And then you started texting me and you seemed so nice and I thought you actually respected me just for being Dai's sister and I was so confused. I didn't know whether to tell you the truth or not. I thought it would be better if you didn't know."

There was silence in the room before Butch whispered, "To think I was actually beginning to fall for you."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "For who?" she hesitated, "Sunshine...or Kaoru?"

He swallowed, "You."

* * *

**AN: I know, I know. I'm so cruel for leaving it off here, but I had to. However, we're getting somewhere with the Greens, aren't we?**

**I hope you enjoyed the description of Bad-Ass. I decided that the brothers really needed their own vehicle and they don't strike me as the car type so...XD**

**In a way, this chapter is probably answering some questions as well as giving a rise to new ones.**

**So review, my beautiful little...er, I have no idea. Oompah Loompahs? ;)**


	11. Double Vision

**AN: I am back from the dead! So sorry, guys. We had a crazy storm over here and my internet's been down for a few days. It's finally started working again this evening, so here I am. I'll reply to your reviews from the last chapter as soon as I can! :)**

**Oh, and a HUGE thanks to _Dejiko001_ who stayed up at random parts of the night with me to fix the plotting. Not to mention the amount of time she's spent going through my shoddy mistakes throughout the story. She is awesome, guys. She. Is. _Awesome. _And if you haven't read any of her stories, I suggest you do so now. And by 'suggest' I mean drop everything you're doing and read her stories. ;D**

**With that said, you may read.**

* * *

_**PART XI:**__ Double Vision_

* * *

There was silence in the room before Butch whispered, "To think I was actually beginning to fall for you."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "For who?" she hesitated, "Sunshine...or Kaoru?"

He swallowed, "You."

They both stayed silent, only their hard breathing could be heard.

"I..." Butch looked away but then looked back at her, "I don't know how to feel about you anymore."

Kaoru bit her lip, "Does it matter that much?"

"Of course it does! Kaoru, I-I... You lied to me. And all those times when we messaged each other on the phone...you led me on. Damn it, Kaoru! You don't even understand how hurt I feel right now!"

"Why would it hurt?" she muttered.

"Because I feel like I've been played."

She looked up, surprised. She hadn't been expecting that answer. Suddenly her mother entered the living room, "Could you two please keep it down?"

Butch shook his head, "Sorry, Mrs. Matsubara. I'm leaving right now."

He headed out the front door but then Kaoru quickly grabbed onto his wrist, "Wait!"

He sighed, "What?"

"You can't leave. Not without solving this between us."

"What 'us'?"

She swallowed, "I never said that."

He flushed in embarrassment but he was still frowning, "I don't have anything else to say to you."

"But I have plenty to say to _you."_ She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Butch. I really am. I... I didn't think how much this meant to you. I didn't know you like me—"

"Forget about that," he muttered, looking away. He wished he hadn't said anything about his feelings for her.

She sighed, "Butch, please look at me."

He scowled but faced her anyway, "What?"

"H-how do you feel about me?"

"Why does it matter?"

Kaoru wondered why it mattered too. Why did she feel her heart racing whenever he was near? It never happened before. Was she really beginning to like him? And why was she trying so hard to save their relationship? She never tried with Narushima, so what made Butch so different?

"Please, I need to know. Butch...how do you feel about me?" she whispered the last sentence, afraid of the answer.

He stayed silent. They were so close now and rain had began to pour a few minutes ago so now they were soaking. Because it was cold, Kaoru could see their breath like smoky wisps in the air.

Her hand was still gripping onto his wrist. Butch noticed that too.

Finally he answered, "I...I think I'm in love with you, Kaoru."

He slowly leaned in and cupped her face with his hands and she let him.

This was different from when Narushima had tried to kiss her. She hadn't felt anything, just wrong-doing and guilt.

But this? This was magical.

The small contact sent a rush of effervescent through them both.

She could feel the sparks floating around them before he even kissed her. Their noses rubbed together and then finally their lips touched.

Pure bliss.

She could literally feel the world fading away from them. It was just them. Nothing else mattered, nothing stood in their way. It was the two of them. Together.

It was a soft and gentle kiss. It was definitely not something Kaoru had been expecting from someone so apathetic as Butch.

It was like tasting cotton candy for the first time and feeling it melt into your mouth. It was like the thrill of falling and not knowing whether you were going to live or die. It was like being so utterly and completely wonder-struck and having no desire for it to end.

Butch was the first to pull away, but their faces were still close to each other—their foreheads touching.

"I think I'm in love with you too," she muttered.

He stayed quiet for a moment before a slow grin spread across his face, "Great. I can finally die happy."

She grinned too, "You're such an asshole."

"Ah, but you're forgetting that I'm an incredibly _handsome_ asshole."

She smiled and leaned in as they both kissed again, much shorter this time. But the magic was still there.

"Are you kidding me? I leave my best friend and my sister for a few minutes so they can stop arguing and then they decide to make-out in front of the house?"

Butch and Kaoru turned around to find Dai standing at the doorway. His arms were folded and he was frowning.

"In our defence," said Butch, "We liked each other before I even knew she was your sister. So don't even try to pull the whole '_friends-don't-date-friends'-sister_' thing on me. It's your fault. You should've told me she was your sister from the beginning, we could've avoided this long ago."

"Is it too late now?"

_"Way_ too late."

Dai sighed, "Well... I can't believe I'm going to say this: but I'm happy for you two. There. I'm not repeating it again."

Kaoru rolled her eyes but then she narrowed them when she spotted something on their lawn, "What kid trashed their hunk of junk on our lawn?"

Butch coughed, "Um, that's my bike."

Her eyes widened, "Are you shitting me?"

"What? You don't like guys with a bike?"

"But it's so pink and girly. How could y—"

"Butch!"

The three turned around to see Boomer...and a bunch of girls standing in front of the lawn.

"Oh, shit," muttered Butch.

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Kaoru, curious as to why Boomer was crowded by so many girls.

Boomer grinned, "I was at Starbucks and guess what? Remember the fangirls from the Twilight movie we watched on Saturday?"

"Uh...yeah?" said Butch. Dai raised an eyebrow at him, clearly amused.

"Turns out that they're best friends! I ran into them while I was ordering. What a coincidence! I want you to meet them: this is Fumiko, Ayame, Chisaki, Reika, Etsuko, Mayumi and Suzume. We've been having a blast!"

Butch looked disturbed, "Ah...okay?"

"But I was waiting for you to come back and pick me up for half an hour. So I thought maybe you were still keeping Brick company, but when I went back to the apartment complex, the bike was gone! Why the hell did you ditch me at Starbucks?"

"Boomer, I'm really sorry, bro."

"You better be. By the way, Kaoru, do you have any hot chocolate?"

"Uh, yes...?" she replied, uncertain.

"Good, because we're parched."

"I thought you said you went to Starbucks. Didn't you have a drink there?"

"Nah, I forgot about it while I was chatting with my new BFFs. So, can we come in or what? It's freezing out here."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "I guess we're all having hot chocolate then. Come on in."

Dai, Butch, Kaoru, Boomer and the Twilight fangirls walked into the house for some good old hot chocolate.

* * *

There were some secrets that were meant to be kept. Then there were some secrets that were so important, that people had to die for it to be kept a secret. Some secrets held a lot of power. That's why secrets should never be said. Because once they were out, it was almost impossible for you to be safe.

As well as secrets, there were also lies. Along with dark secrets, lies had to be told. Lies were spewed out to loved ones, to strangers...anyone. A liar didn't care who it was, as long as the lie stuck and was believable.

A lie could rewrite your whole entire life. It could also dictate it.

A figure stood strong on a tall skyscraper. He looked over the innocent civilians in the dark of the night. Lights flashed and the roads lit up like a runway.

The wind was strong tonight and breezed by him, threatening to knock him over. But he stood poised. He had his eyes on one house in particular. The Matsubara residence.

He turned around to see Narushima. "Well?"

"Wouldn't it be better to kill Dai instead of Kaoru? It's not like she is involved in any of this. Wouldn't it be better to leave her out of it?"

"No. I want to make him suffer. Killing him would be too simple. I want him to watch. I want him to scream and cry out when I kill her. I want him to not be able to do anything to save her."

Narushima didn't say anything. He simply looked down.

"Aw, come on. Don't be sad. You said it yourself, she's a bitch. She broke your heart. Get over it. This could be your time for revenge on her."

Narushima sighed, "I know..."

"This could also be a good time to get Butch to watch. I heard they're both together. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of him grovelling at your feet."

Narushima scowled but said nothing.

"You remember what they did to you. Don't you? You remember what they did to your father?"

Narushima remembered. He growled, "I just want those files."

"And we'll get them. Be patient. It's only a few more days."

* * *

Butch sat down on Dai's bed, "What's wrong? Why did you call me up in the middle of the night?"

Dai sighed, "There's something I've been keeping from you this past week." He handed over his phone to his best friend.

Butch read through the messages and his eyes widened, "How does this person—"

"I don't know."

"But why did you reply?"

"They said they were going to kill Kaoru. Of course I had to reply!"

_"Shit."_

"I know."

"This is... Damn it! How do they know about this? How do they know about the back-up files?"

Dai frowned, "Butch, I need your help."

"To hack?"

"No, I'm going to ask Brick to help me."

"I can help hack too."

"No, I need you to watch out for Kaoru. Please. I know this isn't something that y—"

Butch shook his head, "Shut up, Dai. Of course I'm going to look out for her."

"Thank you. I'm just really worried."

"I know. You should be. I'll make sure Kaoru doesn't stay out of my sight for the next few days."

"Thank God."

"But what are you going to do about the files?"

Dai sighed, "I'm going to ask Brick to help me hack in through my phone and find out who the hell this person is."

Butch looked worried, "And if it doesn't work?"

Dai swallowed and hesitantly answered, "I'll make sure that my sister isn't involved in this."

Butch growled, "Don't you dare even think about it!"

"What else do you expect me to do? This is the only way!"

"No, damn it! We'll figure something out. But you sure as hell aren't going to let them kill _you_ instead!"

"Would you rather let Kaoru be the sacrifice?"

Butch narrowed his eyes, "Not a chance."

"Exactly."

"We'll figure something out. Just don't..."

Dai nodded, "We'll see."

* * *

Butch woke up the next morning to the most annoying sound.

Fashion.

"What are you two doing in my room?" he asked.

Boomer grinned, "Hey, bro. This is Miyako, we both got paired up for a fashion project. She's from another school though."

Miyako? Now why did that name ring a bell? "Uh...hi?"

Miyako smiled apologetically, "Sorry, we didn't mean to wake you up."

"I did," muttered Boomer.

Ah, Miyako! Butch remembered now. Narushima had been talking about her two weeks ago. Apparently she was popular with the male population of her school.

"That's nice and all. But what the fuck are you two doing in my closet?"

"Well, our project is based on improving a person's style," explained Miyako.

Boomer nodded, "Yeah, so I told Miyako all about your horrible fashion sense. And so we decided to work through your closet and improve your style."

"...excuse me?"

"I think we're doing pretty good so far."

"No. No. No. You can't just come into my room unannounced and _'improve'_ my fashion sense."

"We can't?"

"No, you can't."

"But Brick said we could."

_"Traitor."_

Butch got out of his bed and headed downstairs to talk to Brick who was sitting on the sofa, reading a book. But Butch realised too late that there were colourful bouncy balls spewed all across the stairs and the entire ground floor.

Which was why when he began to go down the stairs, he stepped on one of the bouncy balls and slipped. He slid down the stairs and into a ball-pit of bouncy balls on the ground floor.

Brick looked up from his book, "Oh, good morning, Butch."

Butch growled as he sat up, "What the hell? What is this?"

"Oh, the bouncy balls? Yeah, they're from Kaoru."

"What? Kaoru? Why?" Butch seemed surprised. Why would Kaoru do this? He thought they'd figured everything out yesterday...with that kiss.

Oh, gosh. He still remembered that kiss.

That was one heck of a kiss.

"She left a message for you," said Brick, handing a piece of paper to his brother.

_'This is revenge for the locker incident last week. Now we're even. - Kaoru.'_

Oh, that little bitch.

Forget the kiss. She was dead.

He suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Dai last night...about the threats. Kaoru was in danger. She really _could_ be dead by Tuesday.

Fuck, no. He couldn't think like that.

Wait, did Kaoru even know?

It was likely that she didn't since he was pretty sure she would've hidden under a rock by now if she knew there was a crazy psycho out there wanting to kill her.

Butch shuddered and walked over to Brick, "I'm guessing Dai called you this morning."

Brick nodded, "Yeah," he paused before continuing, "You're keeping an eye on Kaoru today, aren't you?"

"Yup."

"Better get to school fast. You only have a few minutes left before registration starts."

"Oh, shit. Wait, what about you and Boomer?"

"Boomer's been excused by the school because of his fashion project. And I already called in sick this morning. I'm going to meet up with Dai before lunch so we can figure this crap out."

Butch nodded, "Got it."

* * *

Momoko jumped onto the stage when her name was called, "I'm here!"

The teacher nodded, "Alright. Now, you're an alien who has just lost her human lover. You're sad, you feel empty. You feel no need to take over earth anymore. You're broken inside, the love of your life is gone. Now show that emotion!"

Momoko nodded, closed her eyes and breathed, getting into character. Then she exhaled and slowly opened her eyes, letting emotion enter her heart. "What's the meaning of life...when the one you love is no longer with you?" She paused. "Is this what love is? Does it really manifest you, only to break you in the end? Simply to create wounds and scar the heart? To take control over you and then make you lose every single sense of it?" She expressed her hurt through her features and motioned to her heart.

The drama teacher leaned over to the director, "Momoko is one of our best drama students," she whispered, "She's got great talent and a lot of potential."

The director nodded, "Hm, I like her approach. Put her on the list. I'd like to try out other scenarios with that girl. She does have the potential."

The teacher smiled and tried not to look too eager as she wrote Momoko's name down on the director's list.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow as Momoko jumped off the stage after her audition, "Well, what did you think?"

Kaoru shrugged, "It was okay."

Miyako rolled her eyes, "It was fantastic."

It was after school and Momoko had been auditioning for Tokyo City's new play. It was a big deal really. Once she got to perform in the play, she would be able to put the achievement down into words with a certificate to prove it.

That would mean that a scholarship was more likely to any theatre arts university she wanted.

Miyako had already finished her day's job of the fashion project with Boomer. Frankly, they both had to leave when Butch scolded them and threatened them to leave him and his fashion sense alone..._or else._

So then the three girls decided to go to McDonald's to celebrate Momoko's achievement into getting a part in one of Tokyo's hottest plays. Well, the celebration was Miyako's idea; the location of the celebration was all thanks to Kaoru who was in desperate need for junk food.

"Aw, Momoko! That's great! I can't believe you got the part!" enthused Miyako.

"Albeit it's a small part with only five pages of lines," muttered Kaoru as she stuffed her face with a fillet-o-fish burger.

Momoko glared at her, "Thanks for the support."

Kaoru grinned, pieces of the burger still stuck in her teeth, "Well, you know me: Little Miss Sunshine."

_"Ew!_ Don't talk with your mouth full. That's disgusting!"

Just to annoy her even more, Kaoru opened her mouth to show the half chewed burger to Momoko.

"Ew! Ew! Ew! Stop it, Kaoru! Just stop it! You are _sick!"_

Miyako rolled her eyes, "Would you two please try to get along?"

It turned out that Momoko and Miyako were best friends. Kaoru only found out about this today as she bumped into them after class. Momoko practically dragged Kaoru to forcefully watch her audition, even though Kaoru didn't understand Drama in the slightest.

Kaoru swallowed the burger and then raised an eyebrow at Miyako, "Hey, for your information, I _am_ trying to get along. See? I'm being really nice. It's not my fault that Momoko can't accept me for who I am."

"Yeah, and who you are is a disgusting pig," retorted Momoko.

Kaoru gave her a threatening grin, "Care to say that again? Or would you rather I spit my food on you?"

"You're so disgusting!"

Miyako sighed, grinning a little, "You two are impossible," she murmured.

"Oh, my God. Kaoru! Are you drinking my _coke?"_ cried Momoko.

Kaoru scrunched up her nose and gave the drink back, "Ugh. Coke is disgusting. I prefer 7up, thank you very much."

"Well, obviously you have no taste. And _ew!_ You drank _my_ coke using _my_ straw!"

Kaoru shrugged, "So?"

"Well, it has your _germs_ all over it. That's disgusting. Here, take it. I've lost my appetite," grumbled Momoko, folding her arms.

Kaoru eyed Momoko's food, "Since you've lost your appetite, can I have your french fries too?"

"You already ate your fries!"

"Yeah, well I'm still hungry for some more."

Momoko frowned, "Then why don't you just stop eating so much?"

Kaoru snorted, "Momoko, that's like telling the world to stop orbiting around the sun. Main point? Never gonna happen."

Miyako rolled her eyes, "Come on, you two. And Kaoru, can you, at least, _try_ and act civilised for Momoko's celebration?"

"The key word there is 'try'. So don't get your hopes up."

Miyako and Momoko shared the fries while Kaoru pouted, not having gotten any of Momoko's fries. Kaoru was the polar opposite of the two friends. They were normal and she was... Well, she was Kaoru.

Momoko realised just what a pain in the butt Kaoru was, but she also silently admitted that she was fun to be around.

Miyako found the two arguing to be pretty amusing.

Kaoru? She was just glad that she had found friends that were actually _girls._

Their conversation was interrupted when Butch came into the place and took a seat beside Kaoru.

"Hey, there, Sunshine."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "I thought you had classes."

"Which class?"

"Physics."

"Nope. I'm free."

Truth was he was actually here to make sure no weirdo came by to hurt Kaoru, but he wasn't gonna tell _her_ that. Not that she would believe him if he told her either.

Kaoru snorted and rolled her eyes, "Guys, this is Butch."

"Her devilishly-charming and handsome boyfriend."

"...Yeah."

Momoko and Miyako laughed, "Nice to meet you, Butch," they said.

Then Butch noticed their surroundings, "Uh, no offence, Sunshine. But why the hell are you here in McDonald's?"

"What? You're not lovin' it?"

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a lazy grin, "Oh, I'm lovin' it, alright. I'm just wondering what _you're_ doing here."

"I got hungry. Momoko got a part in the musical downtown. Nothing much really."

Momoko raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me? Speak for yourself. That musical is very important."

"Do you even sing?"

"Of course!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Huh... You learn something new everyday."

Momoko threw one of her fries at Kaoru, but she caught it in her mouth instead.

"Thanks! I really needed that!"

Butch rolled his eyes, "You three seem like you're having fun." Then he narrowed his eyes at Miyako, "Weren't you the girl in my bedroom this morning?"

Kaoru had been sipping her 7up but was now choking on it, "Excuse me? _What?"_

Butch seemed to have caught on to her meaning and quickly said, "No! Not in _that_ way! Definitely not! I don't mean that she was in my _bed!"_

Miyako grimaced and turned to Kaoru, "I'm doing a fashion project with Boomer. We were both in his bedroom this morning because we were working through his closet."

Kaoru gave Butch a look, "And why were they in your closet?"

Miyako shrugged, "He has no fashion sense."

Momoko and Kaoru burst into laughter and Butch scowled, "I have a _great_ fashion sense, mind you," he grumbled.

* * *

Dai and Brick worked away quietly on their laptops. Butch seemed to be reading a book while Boomer played video games on the TV.

It was Saturday and they were in the Jojo residence; Dai had brought Kaoru along since he didn't want to leave her alone in the house.

Just in case.

Kaoru was bored. No one was talking and there was nothing to do.

She had asked Dai earlier if she could go to the nearest convenience store. It would be a hell lot more interesting than where she was spending her time right now.

But the answer was no.

She sighed and looked at the sketchbook and pencil in her hands. There was nothing to draw. This was so _boring._

She looked over to Dai, who was still in deep concentration, typing away at the laptop. Then she glanced over to Butch, who was sitting on the sofa, hunched over a book.

How he could make a simple task such as reading look so...interesting, she didn't know.

She looked back to her sketchbook and decided to draw him.

She focused on drawing a rough outline of his figure first. She then realised something as she studied him: his figure lines were flawlessly fluid.

Kaoru sketched down the broad shoulders which then slimmed down to the waist and then the rough outline of his legs—one leg propped on top of the other which dangled over the seat.

She went back to the top and drew his head. She looked up and studied him.

Good lord, he had a killer jaw line.

She shook her head. What the hell? She shouldn't be ogling him.

What was she? A drooling and senseless fangirl?

After outlining the perfect curve of his back and body, she went to the delicate details: the muscles.

Butch was wearing a white t-shirt which hung loosely off his broad frame and khaki shorts with trainers. Casual. This meant she could see the definition of his arms and legs.

And, boy, was there definition.

Muscles cords along his arms were ruggedly pronounced and corrugated. His legs just the more subtle, but the pull of muscle was still obvious. From appearance itself, Kaoru could tell he was strong.

Goodness. Why did he hide behind computers and textbooks and spend his days with Mathematics all the time?

The guy would make a brilliant art model.

There was something different about his figure from the figures they studied in school, and Kaoru recognised why. She had recognised it long before she had the 'pleasure' of conversing with him. She had recognised it as soon as she set her eyes on him that first morning in ICT club.

He was elegant. So perfectly elegant. But there was also power in that elegance, along with sensuality.

But she had also noticed his threatening demeanour. People who were beautiful, and knew they were beautiful, were ever so narcissistic.

But she knew he was beautiful, and she knew that he knew he was beautiful. But he chose to hide it. Why?

Did that make him narcissistic?

No.

Dangerous?

Possibly.

A work of art?

_Definitely._

That was when he finally looked up from his reading and immediately locked eyes with her. He smirked.

The bastard.

He had known she was staring at him all this time. Heat rushed across her neck and face.

His dark green eyes burned into hers. There was intensity in it...and something like carnal desire.

She bit her lip. She didn't want to think what _that_ meant.

She looked back down at her drawing and continued sketching with finesse, trying to ignore his heated gaze.

A few minutes later, when she looked up, he was gone.

Only Dai, Brick and Boomer remained in the room with her.

* * *

The weekend had went by fast and after that episode, she rarely saw her brother or Butch. Kaoru sighed. They said they were busy doing something important.

It was Monday, after school. She headed over to the head ICT room in the Technology department after remembering something important during class. Butch said he would meet up with her at the library after his last class was finished, which would be in another forty minutes so she had plenty of time to spare.

Upon entering the room, she found it empty, just as she had expected. She went over to Butch's computer and checked the hard drive.

There it was.

The floppy disk.

She smiled. It seemed like yesterday when they were both at each other's throats. This floppy disk had recorded any activity on his computer these past few weeks ever since she put it in there.

Truthfully, she had forgotten all about it. But she suddenly remembered during class and reminded herself to hand it to Butch and apologise.

She slipped the floppy disk into her school bag and headed out the door. She ran across Mr. Fabian.

"Hey, there, Kaoru."

"Oh, hi, Mr. Fabian."

"What brings you here?"

"Oh, just...computer stuff."

He smiled, "I heard you and Butch are-"

"Oh, God," she groaned, practically embarrassed. Not that there was anything wrong with dating Butch, just that everyone was making such a big deal about it...

He rolled his eyes, "Fine, fine. I'll stop talking. Where are you going?"

Well, since Butch was going to be out of class for another half an hour, she decided that she should go and walk around outside the school campus a bit before she went to the library.

"Just walking outside."

"Well, enjoy your walk."

The two bid their goodbyes and she went down the corridors. She approached Butch's locker and decided to slip the floppy disk in through the ventilation slits along with a note.

Then she walked out the school doors and ventured around to the deserted part of one of the courtyards.

Ah, peace and quiet.

She leaned against a tall metal gate and flicked through her phone.

A few minutes later, she heard a voice she was hoping not to hear in a long time, "Hello, Kaoru."

She reluctantly looked up, "Narushima?"

God, she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to talk things through with him, especially not now since she was dating Butch, but...

"How are you?" he asked.

She couldn't tell if he was being casual or whether he was angry since he had a blank expression on his face. "I'm alright. What about you? I'm really sorry about last time—"

"Are you sure you're sorry?"

This time, she thought she saw a flash of anger through those eyes, but it disappeared and he still wore his blank expression.

Something didn't feel right.

Oh, God. Why did she have to choose the most deserted part of the school?

She looked behind her to see if there were any witnesses. None whatsoever.

Crap.

Narushima caught her looking around and chuckled, "What? Don't you trust me?" He closed in.

Kaoru didn't dare answer. She remembered the phone in her hand and was about to call Butch but then he quickly caught onto her wrist and threw the phone away.

"The hell? Let go of me!"

He raised an eyebrow, "Are you scared?"

_Hell, yes!_ "What is wrong with you?"

He smirked, "Everything." He brushed her cheek with his free hand.

She shuddered in disgust and spat on him.

His eyes widened in surprise, then in anger. "You bitch!" he roared.

She slammed him next to the gate, but it didn't deter him much since he had a much stronger body build compared to hers. But he did release her wrist and she quickly ran away from him.

A car pulled up in front of the closest gate and a young man with dark brown hair stepped out. He frowned as he looked at Kaoru, "What's wrong, miss?"

Kaoru was relieved. Oh, thank heavens! A witness!

"There's this guy chasing me!" She pointed to Narushima who had slowed down and was looking at the two warily, but he was still approaching them nonetheless.

The man scowled, "Get inside the car," he said to Kaoru, "I'll take you to the police."

She nodded, still shaken. She sat in the backseat where he gestured and she quickly put on her seatbelt. The man locked the door and told her from the outside that she would be fine.

She saw the man walk up to Narushima and panicked. Oh, gosh. What was going on?

Then the man dragged Narushima to the car and told him to sit in the passenger seat at the front.

The man got inside to the driver's seat and told Kaoru that he was taking both of them to the police station.

Kaoru didn't mind. She was just glad that she hadn't gotten hurt by Narushima.

They drove in silence and Kaoru noticed that the doors were locked.

_Probably to make sure that Narushima doesn't get out,_ she thought to herself.

"Who are you?" she asked the man quietly.

The man smiled in the rearview mirror, "My name's Natsuki."

She nodded, content.

"Here, have some water. You must be parched." He handed over to her a bottle of water.

Normally she would refuse, but she actually was really thirsty and she thought drinking some water would calm her nerves. She took a few gulps and then handed the bottle back to him.

After almost twenty minutes of driving, Kaoru frowned. They should've been at the police station by now. She was beginning to grow suspicious. She was also beginning to feel dizzy.

Why the hell were they on the _motorway?_

The motorway normally led to places _out_ of the urban area. The police station was definitely near the middle of the urban area. They weren't supposed to be on the motorway.

The dizziness grew and there was a subtle pounding in her head.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Natsuki raised an eyebrow, "The police station."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Why?"

The pounding grew louder and her vision began to blur. _What the...?_ This was strange. She'd had enough sleep last night. Why was her head beginning to hurt? She also hadn't eaten anything strange...

Wait. She drank from Natsuki's bottle.

Suddenly, dread began to fill her.

Something was definitely wrong.

She looked back into the rearview mirror and saw Natsuki still raising an eyebrow at her, but there was something in his look. It was as if he was waiting for something...almost like he was expecting a reaction...from her.

"We're not in Tokyo City anymore, are we?" she asked, her voice shaky.

This time, Narushima turned around in his seat, smirking at her, "Nope. Not really."

She couldn't see properly. She was seeing double vision. The headache grew stronger.

She groaned and clutched her head, "What...what was in the water?"

She recognised Natsuki's voice, "Flunitrazepam. Or you might know it as Rophynol. Quite useful stuff really."

Fuck. Roofies. She knew what those were. There were enough cases of date-rape drugs on the TV. "How long...?" She tried to open the car door, but it was locked.

Of course.

She knew he was smirking even though she couldn't see it, "Normally takes from fifteen minutes to half an hour for the victim to fall unconscious."

She hated the way he said 'victim'.

Oh, God. She was a _victim._

This could _not_ be happening.

She could feel her eyes slowly drooping.

She heard Narushima's voice, "Don't try and fight it."

"W-why...are...are you dooing...t-thisss...?" she slurred.

She'd fucking spit on him again if she could. That sick bastard.

"You only have your brother and boyfriend to blame."

Wait. What?

She wanted to ask what he meant but she couldn't fight against the drug any longer. She closed her eyes and finally let darkness take her.

* * *

**AN: I don't want to ruin the moment by talking about what just happened. Sooo...**

**Review, mes amies? ;D**


	12. Sadist Without Sanity

**AN: Still experiencing Internet problems, so don't be surprised if you don't find me around on FanFic that much. I'll be back in Waterloo by the end of August, so I'll definitely have proper Internet by then. For now, you will have to bear with my strange updating patterns and my late review replies. Sorry! X3**

**But you guys are still so freaking awesome. :D**

**Edited by: Dejiko001**

* * *

_**PART XII:**__ Sadist Without Sanity_

* * *

Everything was...dark. She didn't know where she was.

Kaoru groaned. _What the hell happened?_

Damn. She had a freaking migraine and wanted to throw up.

"You look like you're going to convulse."

Her head whipped towards the voice. She immediately regretted it for two reasons: the pounding headache only increased when moving her head too fast, and the person who had spoken was Narushima.

"What's going on? Where the hell am I?" And more importantly, why couldn't she remember what happened?

Narushima got up from the chair he had been sitting in and walked over to her. He crouched down beside her, "This was where my dad used to spend most of his time when I was little," he muttered, "He'd do all his programming in this lab."

Kaoru didn't say anything. Narushima's father was a programmer?

"Sometimes he would let me come inside and play around with the codes. He used to teach me how to make basic things like HTML websites and small recurring viruses."

He looked as if he was going to say more but then he closed his mouth. He simply stared just beyond her, as if remembering a past life.

She looked at him for a while before remembering that she was supposed to be angry with him and so forced away her curiosity.

Kaoru tried to rack her brain for answers. _What happened?_

She had been in school...waiting for Butch.

She went to the ICT room and got the floppy disk...which she then put in Butch's locker.

Then what?

She went outside for a walk.

_Right._

Then... Narushima. Narushima was there. He...he tried to touch her...

Then that man came and...

Her mind went blank. She couldn't remember. Everything was a mess.

Narushima was watching her intently, "Feeling better?"

Kaoru noticed that she was tied to a chair. Bristly ropes rendered her hands and feet immobile.

Fuck.

"I don't know. Why don't you let me go and we'll find out?" she growled, struggling against the restraints.

A door clicked open and a flash of light sliced through the haunted darkness of the room. In that flash, Kaoru saw the many computers that were located in the room before it was plunged back into the darkness. There were footsteps. Definitely not Narushima since he had just left her side. Probably gone through the door.

"Ah, I see you're awake. How are you feeling, Kaoru?" the voice asked.

"I've had better days," she muttered.

"Good, good." The person was clearly amused. "Wouldn't want you to get too comfortable now, would we?"

"What the hell is going on?"

"A lot of things. Would you like me to tell you?"

"You can start by your name."

"You don't remember my name?"

Should she have? She shook her head.

It was getting easier to see in the dark again, and she noticed the smirk that played on his lips. "I'm Natsuki."

And like a slap, she remembered him. Of course, he was the man. The man who she had thought had come to her rescue.

Boy, was she wrong.

He must've been a very good actor. Or perhaps she had been in such a panic trying to get away from Narushima she hadn't seen through his act.

"What do you want?" she asked. She was already afraid of his answer.

He shrugged, "Just waiting for your brother to do as he's told. If not, he knows the consequences."

She hadn't been expecting that answer. For a second, she felt relief. Goodness, she thought they would...rape her or something. She shuddered. _No._

But if they weren't going to...do anything to her. What did they want her for anyway? And why was Narushima involved in this?

Wait a minute.

How did they know her brother? How was Dai involved in any of this?

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me," said Natsuki, grabbing a chair and pulling it towards her as he casually sat down.

He gave her a cocky grin and she immediately decided that from then on she hated him.

"Shoot."

* * *

Butch checked his watch. It had been twenty minutes. Where the hell was she? He looked around the library.

No sign of her.

He checked his phone.

She still hadn't called him back.

He was worried.

He got out from the library and headed past the head ICT room in the Technology department to see if she had been in her last class. But then he ran into Mr. Fabian.

"Hey, Butch. Funny seeing you here too."

Butch gave an absentminded smile, "Nice to see you too, sir. Wait, who else has been here?"

"Kaoru was here about an hour ago. I'm heading home now, so stay out of trouble."

"Wait, Mr. Fabian. Do you know where she is now?"

Mr. Fabian thought for a moment, "Ah...I think she mentioned going outside for a walk."

_Shit._

"Right. Bye."

Butch didn't even wait for him to respond as he quickly dashed out of the school building and out across the campus.

He reminded himself not to worry. She was probably still taking a walk.

_But for an hour?_

He shook his head.

He went around campus trying to find her. Only a few students remained, loitering around a few of the parking lots. Kaoru was hardly anywhere.

He reached another part of the campus which was empty and began to phone her again.

"Come on, Kaoru. Pick up. Pick up, damn it," he murmured.

Then he heard ringing. He looked relieved for a second before he realised that the ringing was coming from the ground.

Kaoru's phone lay scattered on the ground.

Shit.

This was bad.

This was _very_ bad.

He picked it up and realised that the phone was on voice record. He stopped the recording and replayed it.

There was some kind of sound at the beginning of the recording.

_'The hell? Let go of me!'_ Butch recognised Kaoru's voice.

_'Are you scared?'_ This voice, however, was male. It seemed very familiar, but Butch couldn't seem to point his finger at it.

_'What is wrong with you?'_

_'Everything.'_

There was another sound. Like someone spitting.

'_You bitch!'_

Finally, Butch recognised the male voice: Naruo Narushima.

* * *

Kaoru looked at him suspiciously, "How do you know my brother?"

Natsuki grinned, "Ah. I was hoping you'd ask me that. I love this part." He rubbed his hands together, "I'm the same age as your brother. Nineteen. We used to be best friends when we started secondary school."

Kaoru shook her head, "You're lying."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Butch and Brick are his best friends."

Natsuki smirked, "Is that what he's been telling everyone? He's even lied to his little sister. How fucking adorable. Well, Kaoru, news flash: your brother is a liar. So is your boyfriend. And so is his brother.

"Brick and Butch were twelve, and Dai and I were thirteen when we created the ICT club and then formed the Hackerz. We were best friends. Did you know that your boyfriend is the son of a multi-billionaire?"

Um, no. No, she didn't.

"Does Jojo Enterprises ring any bells?"

It certainly did. And Kaoru mentally slapped herself for being so stupid. How many people in Tokyo City had the surname 'Jojo'? Of course Butch Jojo would be related to Dr. Jojo. She even used the JojoTechLock security system on her own phone...

...which was probably still lying somewhere on campus.

Natsuki nodded, "Makes sense. Doesn't it? Well, one day, we decided to hack into the empire's database. You know, just for fun. We didn't think we could actually do it. But we did. We used Butch's computer.

"But then we accidentally created a back-up file of the JojoTechLock security system on his computer. We were scared shitless, of course. But we didn't want there to be evidence. You could get into serious shit doing that kind of stuff.

"So the next night, we snuck into the empire's building and tried to delete the file from Dr. Jojo's computer. Unfortunately, it was one of those permanent files that had tracking devices on them. So it never got deleted. The only reason that we weren't caught copying the file was because we had been doing it on Butch's computer and his computer was connected to the Jojo Enterprises data base.

"We were just going to leave the building, but we must've set off some kind of alarm because the next thing we knew—_BAM!—_the police had us surrounded. Now, Dai, Brick and Butch—being the pussies that they are—had their hands up and everything. I bet they would've kissed the policemen's feet if they could've. But no way in hell was I going down that easy.

"When the policemen came, I slit those bastards' throats one by one. I only managed to get four of them outta the way, though, because your brother kept on being a dick and interfering, trying to stop me. But, oh fuck, it felt great. The killing, I mean—not your brother. I don't play for that team."

He winked at her and she felt sick.

"They finally managed to arrest me and the other boys after back-up was called. They frisked us and interrogated the other three at the police station. But they sent me to some fucked up psychiatric ward in the hospital. Said I was practically insane. Bitches. Your brother and the others got off the hook easily because they didn't have anything suspicious on them. Perfect clean records and reputation.

"They thought I forced them to help me sneak into the building." Natsuki snorted. "Like I need help. But you know what's funny? They didn't even tell them the truth. They went along with it and acted all innocent while I went through trial in court and got sentenced to five years in a freaking mental asylum."

Natsuki leaned in close to Kaoru's face and she winced.

"They got to roam free while I wasted my time with a bunch of psychiatrists. They said I had some kind of mental disorder: Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Know what that is?"

Kaoru shook her head.

He gave her a sardonic smirk, "It's a disorder where 'the person experiences regular occurrences of aggressive behaviour and violent impulses.' Suits me, wouldn't you say?"

He closed in and sucked on the tender flesh just beneath her jaw.

She gasped in surprise before moving her head away from him, growling, "Don't touch me, you sick bastard!"

He raised an eyebrow and licked his lips, "You taste absolutely wonderful."

"Too bad I'm poisonous for you."

He grinned, "Has anyone ever told you how much I love taking risks?"

"Well, then in that case, I taste like candy floss," she muttered, scowling at him.

Natsuki made a hum of approval, "I guess I'll just have to do without you in my most erotic fantasies."

Kaoru looked quite visually disturbed, "I honestly don't even know how to respond to that."

"Well, maybe you can take satisfaction from the fact I get aroused from just looking at you all trussed up in those ropes. May I just add, you look incredibly sexy."

"...There are no words to describe just what kind of a sick psychopath you are."

"Am I a psychopath because I kill?"

Her breath hitched when she felt the cool metal of a blade pressing against her neck.

Shit. She had been so caught up in his annoying little talks, she hadn't even noticed how expertly he had had that blade near her head.

He could've killed her ages ago if he wanted.

He was talking dirty to annoy her. He had been trying to distract her.

And it worked.

Oh, he was good. But that also meant that he was dangerous.

He raised an eyebrow, "What? Speechless?"

She gritted her teeth but said nothing.

He smirked, "You have such beautiful skin. It would be a shame to see it...scar."

Before she even had a chance to react, he quickly slid the blade down her neck in a shallow swipe.

She didn't feel it at first, but after several seconds, she felt the stinging pain.

"Damn it," she hissed.

"Too harsh? I tried not to make it deep."

"You're insane."

"You finally noticed? When? When I was telling you about me being sent to a mental asylum or after I cut you?"

She didn't say anything, but fear began to grow. This had just been a small tease of what was to come next. This guy could do anything to her. He was capable of doing it because he actually _was_ insane.

You couldn't talk sense into this guy. If he wanted to kill, he would do it.

The realisation and fear must've shown on her face because his smirk grew wider and he licked the trickling blood away from her neck, causing her to shiver.

He winked, "That was just a warning. I might seem like a nice person, but I can kill you in three seconds flat. Don't anger me."

Then he left.

In the cold dark room, Kaoru finally let out a shaky breath she had been holding for so long.

* * *

"Dai, please. Try and calm down for a second," soothed Brick.

Dai grabbed onto Butch's shirt collar and threw him to the floor. Brick and Boomer quickly grabbed onto Dai to restrain him.

Dai struggled but finally dropped to his knees and cried, "I trusted you! I trusted you, damn it!"

Boomer comforted him by giving him reassuring pat. Butch winced and sat up, "Dai—"

"Oh, my God. That guy's going to kill her. Oh, my God. No. Please no."

His hands went to his face as he looked at the floor in horror.

Butch gritted his teeth and slapped him, "Would you just calm down for one bloody second!"

"How the hell do expect me to calm down? They've taken Kaoru and... Oh, God."

"You don't think I'm worried about her either? Of course I am! We all are! But panicking, screaming and crying isn't going to do us a whole fat load of good, is it?"

Dai stopped crying, but he was still breathing heavily. He swallowed, "W-we still haven't found out who the guy is. We need to give him the back-up files."

Boomer raised an eyebrow, "What's this about back-up files? I mean, why is this guy out to kill Kaoru? What did you guys do?"

Brick and Butch gave each other wary looks. Brick cleared his throat, "We've been keeping this secret for too long."

"Secret? What secret?"

Dai, Brick and Butch took turns telling the story. The real story of how the Hackerz had formed and about that horrible night. When they were finished, they looked at Boomer for a reaction.

He was quiet for a moment but finally spoke up, "I'm not defending this Natsuki guy, but I sure as hell would be mad at you right now."

Dai looked down guiltily, "I know. All three of us know. We felt incredibly guilty after that, and we regretted not telling the truth."

Brick shook his head, "But we were just twelve! We only started secondary school! We were scared! We didn't know what they were going to do with us!"

Boomer nodded his head, "I know. I understand that." Then he paused. "Have you ever wondered that maybe that Natsuki is the guy that's been threatening you?"

Brick shook his head confidently, "Impossible. He was sent away to a mental asylum for five years. Couldn't be him."

Butch narrowed his eyes at Dai, "How old was he when he was sent away?"

Dai thought for a moment, "Thirteen. Same age as I was."

Butch nodded, "And you're nineteen now, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, if he went to the asylum at thirteen and stayed for five years. He should've been released at the age of eighteen. And since he's the same age as Dai...he's nineteen now. Get what I'm saying?"

Brick's eyes widened, "He's already been released from the asylum!"

Dai looked panicked, "Oh, no. That's even worse! He has that anger violence disorder, remember?"

Boomer raised an eyebrow, "A sadist?"

Brick nodded, "A sadist without sanity."

"Is that bad?"

Brick and Dai looked at him, "Very bad."

Butch sighed, "He was Dai's best friend, more than anything. He probably hated Dai for not sticking up for him, and he probably hated us too."

Dai nodded, "He knew Kaoru. He knew about her. He knows how much it'll hurt me if they kill her. Oh, my God. He's trying to get revenge on me by killing my sister. Oh, God."

Boomer looked worried, "And he's trying to get revenge on you two by demanding those back-up files?"

Brick nodded, "Exactly. It's a lose-lose situation for us and a win-win situation for him. He either gets revenge on us through the files, or he gets revenge on Dai by killing Kaoru. We either lose the files or..."

"Or we lose my sister."

Boomer frowned, "Why don't you just hand over the back-up files?"

Dai sighed, "It's not that easy. Those files are top secret and confidential. There are...a lot of things in that file that we're not really allowed to say."

"But, the main point is," said Brick, "giving it into the wrong hands will not only destroy the empire, but its many affiliates. Jojo Enterprises is connected to many businesses and laboratories. Heck, even the mayor is connected to it too! There's confidential information in that file. There's too much at stake. We can't hand it over."

"We have to hand over those files," Butch said.

Brick scowled at him, "Were you not listening to what I just said?"

"I did. And I say that we should hand over the files. Besides, I didn't mean that we should hand it over to _him_. I meant that we're going to hand it over to the police."

"We'll be arrested!"

Butch glared at his brother, "Kaoru will be dead by tomorrow. We have no other choice. You know that. We...We have to stop this madness."

The room was silent for a moment before Dai nodded, "Butch is right. We've been telling people all these lies for so long. We..." He sighed. "It's time we took responsibility for our actions."

* * *

She must've fallen asleep at some point because when she woke up, the lights were turned on, and Narushima was already by her side, sitting in a chair.

"How are you feeling?"

She glared at him but didn't respond.

He sighed, "I didn't think that you were going to be involved in this. I just wanted to get revenge on Jojo Enterprises."

"Yeah? Well, be careful what you wish for, you asshole."

"I still really like you, you know."

"And I still want to shove a cactus up your dick."

He winced, "I'm sorry."

She gave a sharp bitter laugh, "Don't you dare tell me you're sorry. Words mean nothing. It's what you do that's important. And frankly, tying me up and leaving me alone in the room with a sadistic psychopath isn't really the best apology method I've ever seen."

"Please don't be mad at me."

"Oh, I'm not mad at you."

He smiled, relieved.

"I'm fucking _pissed_. You are so lucky I'm tied up right now; because if I wasn't, I _so_ would've strangled you by now."

"Now, now. There's no need for strangulation. I've got better methods," said Natsuki as he entered the room, "Narushima, it's my shift now."

Narushima sighed and left.

Kaoru wanted to be sick. This was just insane. Natsuki must've noticed her look because he laughed, "Aw, come on! I'm not that bad!"

"Yes, you are."

He raised an eyebrow, "You're charming. But I'm here to answer any more questions, so shoot."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Hm, are you sure you want the answer to that? You might want to leave this question as last."

Was it really that bad? She shook her head, "No. I want to know now."

"You're stubborn. But alright, if you insist. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

He sat down in the chair next to hers and took a deep breath.

"Well, to put it bluntly, you're a bargaining chip."

"I'm sorry?"

"Actually, a sacrifice is more like it. See, last week, I gave your brother the choice of either handing me over the empire's back-up files, or I would take your life tonight at midnight."

Her jaw dropped.

"And so far, he hasn't given me the files. Looks like he doesn't care about you that much, does it?"

"Oh, my God. You're not actually going to kill me, are you?" But she already knew the answer.

"It's nothing personal, Kaoru. I honestly have nothing against you. You're an okay kid. It's your brother I despise, and I'm going to make him suffer."

She flinched, "H-how?"

He gave her a sadistic grin, "I'm going to record you on video as I kill you. Then I'm going to send it to him along with your corpse."

There was silence.

...The hell?

"Y-you're insane," she whispered, shaking her head, "There is actually something wrong with you. It's not a disorder. You're just so..."

"So what? Corrupt? Evil?"

"You're sick! You're twisted!"

He shrugged, "That may be, but at least I get the job done." Then he smiled, "Just make sure to scream extra loud when I'm killing you. We want him to know that you're in pain, don't we?"

Kaoru shook uncontrollably. This couldn't be happening.

But it was.

"Are you alright?"

No. Far from it.

"Does someone need a hug?"

She didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Don't hope. There's just no use. Use this time to prepare yourself."

She shook her head, "I won't scream."

He smirked against her skin, "Don't worry, kiddo. I'll make sure you do."

Oh, God. Why was this happening to her? She went to bed on time. She did her homework. She cleaned her room. No one hardly ever noticed her because she always blended into the shadows. She was socially awkward. She was practically invisible. So why her?

"Why me?"

"Because he cares for you," he pulled away from her and grinned, "And here's an added bonus, Butch cares for you too. This means I get revenge on two people for the price of one."

Oh, God. Dai. Butch. She'd never get to see them again. Her brother. Her annoying yet amusing brother. She'd never see him.

And then another silly thought occurred to her: Boomer. He was a dirty-minded pervert, but somehow, he had managed to become her best friend. She'd never get to hear him talk about porn again—no matter how disturbing it was.

And more importantly, her parents. Did she tell them _'I love you'_ this morning? No. She had been in a hurry. Now the next time they would see her, she would be a mutilated corpse.

"You cold-hearted monster," she spat.

"Why, thank you. Now, I'm just going to peacefully read this book. Please don't disturb me."

"What time is it?"

He smiled wickedly, "9:01pm. Only three hours before midnight."

* * *

**AN: Gasp! Natsuki! You guys see that coming? XD**

**Review! ;)**


	13. Maniac With a Blade

**AN: Okay, so here's the deal. Since my Internet's on the fritz, I haven't been able to read your awesome reviews (gah! I want to read them so bad!). So, what I'm gonna do is reply to your reviews when I get to Waterloo. Pinky promise. *pinky promises* So, if by the end of August, you see me replying to your reviews all in one go and you end up finding your e-mail inbox spammed to the brim...**

**_DO. NOT. COWER. IN. FEAR._**

**It's just me being a troll. ****That is all. XD**

**So, all I can do for now is wait for my Internet to suddenly work at some point in the week and freaking _update_. So enjoy, my dearies! ;o**

_**Edited by: Dejiko001**_

* * *

_**PART XIII:**__ Maniac With a Blade_

* * *

The police had already been granted pass into the school's Technology department. They were on Butch's computer, accessing the files accompanied by Dai and Brick.

Butch and Boomer had gone off to Butch's locker so they could get the password files that were stored there.

"Who on earth puts top secret information in their school locker?" asked Boomer as they went through the corridor.

It was dark outside, and only a few lights had been turned on in the school building, so it was difficult to see.

"No one. Which is why I did," replied Butch as he opened his locker.

When he opened it, he found a floppy disk sitting on top of his school books along with a note. He picked it up and read.

_'Remember that time I planted that shortcut in your computer so it would keep shutting down? Well, I also did something else but you never noticed. I put a floppy disk inside your computer and made sure that it backed up a copy of every single activity that you did. Originally, I was going to use it against you for blackmail. But let's just say that I grew a heart. So here it is. I took it out of your computer and haven't looked at it. You can do whatever you want with it. - Kaoru.'_

He raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. He was impressed. But then dread filled him again as he remembered that Kaoru was no longer here.

Damn.

The police were trying to figure out where she had been taken and so they were using Butch's computer to see if anyone, other than Butch, had used it.

Someone _had_ used it.

But that someone had covered their tracks very well. They must've deleted their history carefully, because they made sure to keep Butch's activity history so it would look like they were never there in the first place.

Even Dai and Brick were having trouble trying to regain any evidence. It was obvious that this was the work of a hacker.

They already knew it had something to do with Natsuki, and they suspected Narushima was involved too since his voice had been recorded on Kaoru's phone.

It would make sense too. Narushima suddenly transferred over to their school and joined the Hackerz just like that. He would have a lot of access to the ICT room's facilities. He was the most likely suspect in going onto Butch's computer.

But at the same time, one had to wonder _why._

Why was Narushima doing this? They already knew Natsuki's motive: revenge. But what about Narushima? He didn't seem to have a motive. At least, not one they knew of yet.

And why were Narushima and Natsuki working together? What was their connection?

There were too many questions to answer.

But the first one was how to get access to Narushima's activity history in Butch's computer. And that was already posing a lot of problems.

Butch sighed and looked at the floppy disk in his hands, hoping—no, _praying_—that Kaoru would be alright until midnight.

He couldn't lose her.

For once in his life, he actually wanted someone. And as sappy as it was, he felt complete with her.

If he lost her...

He reread Kaoru's note and then frowned.

He looked back at the floppy disk.

Then the note.

Then the floppy disk.

And then the note. _'...it backed up a copy of every single activity that you did.'_

Every single activity. Including the history.

Unless Narushima had noticed the floppy disk, he wouldn't have erased the history of his activities from the floppy disk.

Butch's eyes widened.

It was a long shot, but worth a try.

Boomer looked at him, "Butch? We need to hurry up now."

"I think this floppy disk might tell us where Kaoru is."

The two brothers rushed to the ICT room where a few of the policemen, Dai and Brick were working on Butch's computer.

"Guys!" said Butch, "I think I got it."

He explained how Kaoru had created a back-up of his computer activities in the floppy disk and how there was a chance that Narushima may not have deleted his history from the disk.

It was worth a chance.

Dai slid the the floppy disk in and hoped that they were right.

And they were.

Every single activity that Narushima had deleted on Butch's hard drive was now present in the floppy disk.

They skimmed through the activities and realised that most of these were Internet links to do with finding locations.

They assumed this meant the location that they had taken Kaoru.

But there was one location that stood out the most near the end of the history which Narushima had seemed to be very interested in.

Some of the policemen took Dai and the three brothers to the police station to do research on the location.

_Please be alright, Kaoru,_ thought Butch, _Please._

* * *

Natsuki smiled at Kaoru innocently, "So, which of these blades do you prefer?"

She didn't respond.

"Frankly, I'm more a fan of the Chinese crescent-moon blades. Although I also admire clip-pointed blades too. You know, like a Bowie knife. What about you? See any blades here that you like?"

She still didn't respond.

"Now, come on, Kaoru. You're the star of this show, remember? If I'm going to kill you, you may as well choose the blade that I'm going to use."

"You may as well give me an overdose of anti-depressants," she muttered.

"That actually had crossed my mind. But we want you in pain, remember? Overdose is too easy. Too simple. Too plain. We want something that will have Dai crying and begging. We want you to scream."

"You are one bloody barbaric bastard."

"I'm not quite sure how long I'll be torturing you. We'll see when we get there. But which part of your body do you prefer me to start with?"

She gritted her teeth, "Go for my heart, then."

He smiled cruelly, "But I want you alive when I hurt you."

Her shoulders sagged, and she willed herself not to cry. She must've been a mess.

"How about I use a lighter? Maybe we could get started with a bit of pyro play, eh?"

"Fuck you," she whispered.

"Yes, and then, perhaps disembowelment? Doesn't that sound fun?"

No. No, it didn't. Kaoru felt like she was going to be sick.

"What time is it?" she murmured.

Natsuki rolled his eyes and checked his watch, "10:20pm. Trust me, Kaoru. They're not coming. You may as well abandon all hope now and help me figure out how to kill you. We want the maximum effect, right?"

"Quit saying _'we'!_ There is no _'we'!_ You're a psycho murderer, and I'm your freaking victim! _You_ may be having fun, but _I_ sure as hell am not!"

He stayed silent for a while before cracking a wide grin, "You like me, don't you?"

What?

"Oh, for goodness sake!"

"Yes, you like me. You're just in denial."

"Here you are, playing around with knives and explaining ways in which you might kill me, and you have the nerve to suggest that I'm interested in a sadistic psychopath like _you?!"_

"Well, that's the jist of it, yes."

She had no words. She was sick of talking to this guy.

Oh, God. This was actually happening to her.

This guy was going to kill her in the most painful ways possible in less than two hours.

"No..." she whispered.

Where was Dai? Where was Butch?

Were those back-up files really so important that they would sacrifice her?

God, she just wanted to cry.

This was so messed up on so many levels.

The scary thing, she realised, was that she had always thought evil was ugly and good was beautiful. As she looked at him—tousled brown hair and light skin—she realised that he was attractive. As much as she wanted to say he wasn't. He actually was. And that was scary. If someone so beautiful could be so corrupt, what did that have to say for the rest of the world?

They had all grown up with the Disney stereotype where the villains were always the most ridiculous looking with their sharp and angular features, whereas the heroes were the ones with the soft features and the most radiant beauty.

That wasn't true for reality.

It seemed that you really couldn't judge a book by its cover.

And that worried Kaoru more than anything. Because if evil was beautiful, how could you stay away from it?

* * *

"We haven't got much time. Is there no way for you to go faster?" urged Dai as he fidgeted his fingers nervously.

The police officer sighed, "Well, so far we've managed to find enough information to recognise the location as belonging to Naruo Narushima."

"Then what's the problem?" asked Butch.

"We're trying to get a warrant. You can't just go into people's property like that. You need a warrant for permission to enter and—"

"Do you have the address of the location?"

"Well, yes. It's right here but—"

Butch snatched the paper out of his hands, "It may be _your_ job to get a warrant, but it sure as hell isn't mine."

"You'll get into a lot of legal trouble."

"I'm already in enough shit. What's a few more added to the list?" Then he turned to Dai and Boomer, "You two, come with me." Then he looked at Brick, "Keep your phone beside you. We're going to need to call for back-up after these guys get their warrant."

No one decided to argue as Butch led Dai and Boomer out of the police station towards the parking lot where Bad-Ass was chained.

Dai groaned, "Aw, hell no. I'm not getting on that prissy girly shit."

Butch raised an eyebrow, "Even if it's to save Kaoru?"

Dai sighed, "Fine. But this is for Kaoru."

Boomer sat at the back of the bike where he rested on the spare seat and brought out his phone so he could find the address on Google Maps.

Butch sat in the front, and Dai sat in the middle. They rode in the dark night through the streets of Tokyo City.

"What time is it?" asked Butch.

Boomer checked his phone, "11:26pm."

Butch swore. "Barely more than half an hour left!"

They rode the pink bike onto the motorway. They never rode a bicycle on the motorway before. It was probably illegal...or impossible because cars went seriously fast on the motorway.

Dai yelled, "What the hell, dude? We're gonna get ourselves killed! You can't ride a bicycle on the freaking motorway! We can't go that fast!"

Butch rolled his eyes, "Time to take risks, Dai. Put your all into it."

Dai and Butch put as much strength and endurance into the bike as they could so that it would go much faster.

This was one hell of a workout.

It was times like this where Dai wished he had taken athletics in school so he wouldn't have painful cramps by the end of this ride.

It had probably been twenty minutes by the time they finally reached near the location. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned factory. Or a laboratory. It was dark, and the only light came from the lights that illuminated from the inside of the large building. It was a good thing that they hadn't come by car; it would've attracted too much attention from the few guards that stood out front like a barrier.

Butch motioned for Dai and Boomer to follow him.

The abandoned building stood on a ridge that dipped into the sea. Only a band of sand appeared near the ridge before it plummeted beneath the cold water.

Butch led the other two to gently crouch down and crawl on the sand next to the ridge. He hoped that the darkness of the night would help conceal them from the eyes of the guards.

As they approached the guards, Butch realised that they were armed.

"We have no weapons," he whispered quietly to Dai and Boomer.

Boomer popped out a book from his jacket pocket: _'Twilight'._

"You can't be serious," muttered Dai.

Boomer gave him a pointed look, "Do you have anything better?"

"No," he mumbled.

"Exactly."

They climbed up the raised ridge and found themselves face to face with a guard. However, before the guard could even react, Boomer slammed the book against him and then threw him over the ridge into the sea.

This attracted the attention of the other guards who were patrolling close by.

Dai and Butch got ready.

But before they could do anything, Boomer went 'karate-mode' and practically pummelled the poor guards with his Twilight book before kicking them into the sea. Butch and Dai gulped at the display. They almost felt sorry for the guards. Almost.

"Remind me to never call you 'gay' ever again," muttered Butch as they quickly found their way into the entrance.

"Well, isn't this a surprise?"

The three boys looked to see Narushima standing in their way, arms folded, scowling.

* * *

"Aha! Now _this_ is a work of art!" cried Natsuki as he held up a jagged and ferocious-looking blade, "Yanyue Dao. Perfect for slashing flesh, don't you think?"

Kaoru blanched at the sight. She so badly wanted to know what the time was, but she was afraid it was already midnight, and if she asked, he would check his watch and say, 'Well, I guess it's time to kill you.'

She had already begun to accept her horrible fate and wanted to prolong it for as long as possible.

It was going well so far since he was still in doubt of which blade to use.

For the first time, she hoped he had a whole lot more blades with him.

He caught her hopeful look and grinned like a Cheshire cat, "It's 11:53pm, kiddo. Only seven minutes left. Tell me. How do you feel right now?"

"Like I could spit on you."

"Wonderful. Good to know that my charming looks haven't fazed you. Don't want you to fraternise with the enemy now, do we? I hate Stockholm Syndrome. It's a messy business."

She eyed him warily, "You talk as though you've experienced it first hand."

He smirked seductively, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She gagged, "I wouldn't, actually."

"You've got five minutes left. Enjoy it. Now, we still have to handle the problem of which blade to use."

"How about a nail file? I hear that makes a wonderful weapon."

Good grief. She was going to be murdered in five minutes, and here she was, making jokes and acting sarcastic.

She was obviously becoming hysterical.

Like a child, she was playing with death, testing it to see if it would kill her like she expected it. And at the same time, she wanted death. And that scared her the most because now, she knew she was becoming desperate.

Natsuki even had the balls to laugh, "Funny girl. But we need something sharp, remember?"

He rummaged through the scattered mess of blades and sharp objects on the ground.

"So many choices," he murmured, "Perhaps the Katana? Ah, yes. The Katana would make a fine choice. It cuts perfectly and cleanly. Ever so precise, if you know just how to use it."

The fact that he had experience with all these blades made Kaoru feel sick and her stomach turned.

"Yes!" He grew excited. "I'll start with the Katana and pierce you in different sections of the body, and then I'll use the Yanyue Dao and stab you severly and repeatedly! Wonderful! Oh, all the blood! It will be fantastic!"

...He was a maniac.

Kaoru felt her heart beating fast in fear, and laughter bubbled out of her lips.

Yes, she was definitely hysterical.

Hysterical neurosis, quite likely.

He smiled at her, "I can't wait to hear you scream."

Just then, shouts could be hear from beyond the door. Natsuki's smile left his face, but he still looked calm as he walked away from Kaoru and left through the door without a word.

...What the hell?

* * *

"You're too late!" yelled Narushima, "He's going to kill her now! It's midnight!"

Butch looked around and found a sword, among other blades, strewn across the floor. He picked it up and pointed it at Narushima.

He looked to his side at Dai and Boomer, "Go save Kaoru. I'll fend him off."

Boomer hesitated, "Are you sure, bro? I ca—"

"Just go, damn it!"

Dai and Boomer nodded and went off in the other direction while Narushima smirked, "Have I ever told you that I'm a swordsman?"

He whipped out his own Katana and eyed Butch's flimsy grip with distaste.

"How pathetic."

Butch frowned, "I'm here for Kaoru. So quit talking and fight."

Narushima licked his lips, "With pleasure."

He shot towards Butch, sword in hand and brought it down but Butch was much faster.

Unlike Narushima—who had a solid body, broad shoulders and a wide chest—Butch was more slim and flexible. He weighed less and had less body mass to carry.

That was his advantage: he could move quickly.

Narushima could not.

Butch twisted away and quickly tore through Narushima's shirt.

Narushima growled.

He spun his sword in his hand, and Butch ducked down.

Bad mistake.

Narushima predicted the move, and he brought his blade from the bottom to the top, forming a clean cut against Butch's left cheek.

The two boys walked in slow circles, staring the other down. Almost a challenge of who would strike first.

Narushima, getting impatient, threw a sneaky move and cut his opponent by the side. A thin line of red formed on Butch's arm, right through his cardigan.

"Damn. I actually liked this one," he muttered before giving Narushima a death glare.

Then he used his light weight and agility to his advantage and spun around on his toes getting a perfect cut through Narushima's shirt, onto his chest.

Narushima growled, "You fight like you're a ballerina."

Butch cocked his head to the side, "I did ballet when I was young. Looks like it came in handy."

He got another cut into Narushima's leg after spinning around him.

He was graceful, but deadly.

Narushima hadn't been expecting such fluid movements from a computer math nerd like Butch.

He had underestimated him.

Butch smirked, "Well, isn't this a surprise?" he mocked Narushima, imitating his tone from earlier.

"Why, yes. Yes it is," said Natsuki calmly as he walked in on the two.

Butch narrowed his eyes at him, "Where's Kaoru?"

"Dead."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" Then Natsuki turned to Narushima, "Kill him."

* * *

**AN: Do I really need to say anything?**

**Seriously, guys. The amount of research I've done these past two weeks on blades and knives would scare you. Now I'm learning how a gun works. :D But I don't think I'll include guns in this story. Maybe another story?**

**For now, I'm estimating _Make & Break_ to be about seventeen chapters — which is actually fairly good for a story I'm writing in the span of two months. But that could change at any point. Like I said, it's just a rough guess. Although I might do an extra chapter on deleted scenes, or something? We'll see. You can let me know.**

**Oh, and I decided to change the rating of this story from a 'T' to an 'M', not because I think that this story is really that...graphic. But because I want to sort of warn you so that I don't scare the crap out of you guys. XD So, for younger readers, please be aware! The rest of you can just 'chillax' and enjoy the suspense and drama. (And, of course, the humour. Because, come on, this is _me_ we're talking about here.)**

**Review, darlings! ^^**


	14. Hidden Revelations

**AN: Ohmyfreakingsupercalifragilisticexpialidociousness . _What?_ What is this? _100 reviews?_**

**Breathe, Annika. Breathe.**

**You guys... I just... How do you always make me so speechless? I love you. I love you all. I don't care how melodramatic I sound.**

**I. Fucking. _Love_. You. All.**

**I swear, when I'm back in Waterloo, I'm gonna put so much freaking love into replying to your reviews (which I will _heartily_ read when my Internet decides to co-operate with me)! Thank you so much! Enjoy the next chapter! 8D**

**_Edited by: Dejiko001_**

* * *

_**PART XIV:**__ Hidden Revelations_

* * *

Momoko frowned, "What the hell is going on, Brick?"

He sighed, "It's a long story, babe. Please, not now."

"Then when? What's going on? Where are your brothers? Where's Kaoru?"

"They're...busy."

"Cut the crap. You're in a police station, for crying out loud. What's going on?"

Brick shook his head, "Momoko, please. It's already bad enough as it is. I don't want you to become involved in this too."

She growled and grabbed onto his shirt collar, "Don't you dare shut me out of this. What the hell is going on? I'm your girlfriend, for crying out loud!"

He sighed again, "Momoko—"

She softened and then said gently, "Kaoru's my friend. _Please_, Brick. I have a right to know."

He looked away. Then, he looked back at her and swallowed, "Alright. I'll tell you. But I have to start from the beginning."

She nodded in agreement.

"When my brothers and I..."

* * *

As Dai and Boomer ran through the corridors, the clinking of metal hitting metal from Butch and Narushima faded away. There were so many doors. One door on the left was slightly open. They exchanged a hesitant look and took a quick step inside.

The room was dark except for the dim red light that set the room on a glow. But it wasn't that difficult to tell what they were surrounded by.

Computers. Everywhere.

Dai had an idea, "Boomer, try and hack into the database. You think you can do that?"

"I can try."

The two entered the computer room, and Dai searched for the lead computers. Boomer looked around to see if anybody else was in here, hiding in the dark.

"I don't think these computers have been used in a long time," muttered Boomer.

Dai nodded, "Yeah, I know. But they still might work. Look around for a power point."

"On it."

Dai finally found the lead computer, which was connected directly to all the others computers in this room and possibly any others in the entire building. Boomer found a power box and flicked the switch. The lights in the room flickered on along with the whir of computers. Dust flew everywhere from the hard-drive fan.

Dai coughed and swatted it away from him, "I'm going to go and find Kaoru now. You start up this computer and see if you can find something. Anything. Clues, plans...whatever. Something isn't adding up here, and I want to get to the bottom of it."

Boomer nodded, "Alright."

Dai walked out of the room and back into the dark tunnel. He was wondering which direction to go when he suddenly heard a scream. And the voice was definitely female.

His eyes widened, "Shit!" Then he yelled, "Kaoru? Kaoru, where are you?"

He ran to the direction where he thought the voice was coming from. He knew he had reached the place when light some through the corridor. But before he could go through, a hand grabbed him by the shirt and threw him onto the floor. Dai winced at the impact and quickly sat up.

Natsuki smirked, "Long time no see, friend."

Dai glared at him, "Where's my sister?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Cut the bullshit, Natsuki. Where the hell's Kaoru?" he growled as he stood up.

Natsuki cocked his head, "Right behind you."

Dai whipped around but strong arms quickly grabbed a hold of him and forced him to a chair. He had been tricked. He struggled and managed to get a hit or two, but there were five men who had a hold of him and tied him to the chair.

"These are my guards," said Natsuki, "Have you met them?"

Dai fought against the ropes that were holding him down, but it was of no use. He was trapped. "I don't have the patience for your fucking games, Natsuki! I want to know where Kaoru is!"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow at the five guards, "He wants to see his sister. Let's make sure he's not disappointed, hm?"

Something about that wicked smile that crossed his face and the glimmer in his eyes made Dai feel dread. A flashback of the past hit him and he wanted to drop to his knees.

This was his fault. This would never have happened if he had said 'no' to Natsuki all those years ago. This would never have happened if he hadn't agreed to Natsuki's dare—if he hadn't fallen for Natsuki's taunting and hadn't tried to hack into the empire's database. Now his best friends were in trouble and so was his little sister.

He was the source of all these problems.

And now, everyone was going to suffer.

* * *

Butch and Narushima stepped away from each other and panted. Butch shook his hair from his eyes, "Why the hell are you even doing this?"

Narushima glowered at him, "I have my reasons."

"Oh, yeah? You know, I get why you might hate _me_. I honestly wouldn't be surprised. But the thing that really has me confused is Kaoru. I thought you _liked_ her?"

Narushima growled and swung his sword in Butch's direction. Butch had been too slow and got a cut across the length of his arm. He winced but, other than that, didn't register the pain.

"I'm not making fun of you, asshole," spat Butch, "I'm being serious. I'm the one you should be mad at, not her."

Narushima hesitated, "I know," he said at last, "I know. I _am_ mad at you. Well, mad at your father, actually. Kaoru is part of Natsuki's revenge, not mine."

Butch was about to attack him but then faltered, "Revenge? I know Natsuki wants revenge on us. But what could _you_ possibly want revenge on my father for?"

Narushima growled, "Don't act like you don't know!"

He slashed the sword downwards but Butch turned away just in time and kicked himself off the wall, jumping overhead before landing behind Narushima and swiping his own sword at him. But Narushima was just as quick. After all, he was a swordsman. He twisted; the strike should've caught him directly in the spine but was deflected off the end of his sword hilt.

He grinned, "You learn fast. But I'm the one with more experience."

When Butch pushed his sword in towards him, Narushima quickly sidestepped and knocked Butch's sword out of his hands before kicking him hard in the chest.

Butch grunted and stumbled back. Narushima threw more kicks, and before Butch could regain balance, he fell down onto the floor.

Narushima walked to where he was lying and loomed over him, "What a pity. Guess you can't save your girlfriend now."

Butch growled, "Why the hell are you doing this?"

Narushima scowled, "You _really_ don't know what your family did to mine?"

Butch seemed even more confused. He shook his head.

Then, a sly smirk curled around Narushima's face, "Don't worry. You'll never find out once I'm done with you." He then brought his sword down, but Butch rolled away from it quickly before jumping back onto his feet.

"I never thought you were the type for murder."

"Well, you thought wrong."

That was when Butch saw it. There was an open door at the end of the hall they were fighting in. The door had a security keypad. If he could lure Narushima there, he could keep him locked inside long enough to find Kaoru.

Set with determination, he quickly picked up his sword from the ground and managed to just about block the sudden attack by Narushima.

He had to move forward.

Butch thrust his sword towards Narushima as he blocked it. This pattern continued, but at the same time, the two were getting closer and closer to the open door.

Narushima laughed mockingly, "Your moves are so predictable. Not to mention your heroic antics. Pathetic."

He slashed and grazed Butch's arm. Damn. He was going to need a lot of first aid plasters to cover up his recent cuts.

Butch made a fake show of thrusting his sword to the left and so Narushima shined his sword that way, but Butch quickly slashed his sword to the right and got a good swipe at Narushima's side.

Narushima growled, "Fuck you." He slashed. Butch deflected it.

"You're getting slow. Come on, pick up the pace," taunted Butch.

Narushima, caught in his anger, didn't notice the way Butch's eyes flickered from him to the open door behind him. Just as Narushima brought his sword down, Butch spun away and knocked the hilt of his sword against Narushima's head while at the same time kicking him across the ankles.

Narushima's eyes widened, and he stumbled back...right through the open door.

Butch instantaneously dropped his sword and shut the door. There was a click and the beeping of the keypad beside the doorframe.

Narushima was finally locked inside.

Butch breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against the door.

Narushima pounded it from behind him, "Let me out, you fucking coward! Let me out!"

No. Butch had other priorities.

He picked up his sword and slid it into his belt before running off into the direction where Natsuki had left through earlier.

* * *

Boomer didn't have much hacking to do. The computer was old.

He went scavenging through the folders on the computer, double-checking the Documents. But there was nothing of interest there. He searched the e-mail inbox, not expecting to find much, considering this computer looked like it hadn't been used in three hundred years.

That was when he ran across something quite peculiar.

There were many e-mails from Jojo Enterprises. His father, Dr. Jojo. And they were all addressed to a Dr. Narushima. That was Naruo Narushima's surname. Did that mean Dr. Narushima was Narushima's father?

What link was there between their father and his father?

Boomer randomly selected an e-mail from Dr. Jojo:

_'Dr. Narushima._

_The deadline for the system was three weeks ago. The programme is overdue. I will have to cancel this meeting if it doesn't turn up on my desk tomorrow morning. I can't keep rescheduling every time it suits you._

_Dr. Jojo_

_Founder & CEO of Jojo Enterprises_

_020 7946 0333'_

Boomer frowned. He went to the sent messages of that date to see Dr. Narushima's reply:

_'Dr. Jojo._

_I promised you that I would have the programme, and I most certainly will. The programme is completed, and I will make sure it is brought in tomorrow. Schedule the meeting for next week. This will be permanent. I will have the tests run over this weekend._

_And who cares if we have to reschedule? What are best friends for?_

_Dr. Narushima_

_Head Technician of Jojo Enterprises_

_020 7946 0202'_

Boomer flicked back to the inbox and picked another e-mail with the subject title 'Removal':

_'Dr. Narushima._

_I'm very disappointed in how you've conveyed your research and designed the programme with such carelessness. You've destroyed technological property of consumers who had faith and trust in our company. You've broken that trusting link between the empire and the consumers._

_Your recklessness has caused nothing but trouble to this company, and I fear that if I keep you it will only get worse. I've had to pay a significant amount to replace the damage you have caused._

_I am already working on another security system programme without your input. You would do best if you left our company. I am removing you from Jojo Enterprises. Effective immediately._

_I'm regretful to say this, but our personal relationship does nothing to change your mistakes. We may have been very close friends once, but I would advise you to refrain from directly contacting me. To confirm your removal, I ask you to pass on the confirmation to my secretary._

_Thank you._

_Dr. Jojo_

_Founder & CEO of Jojo Enterprises_

_020 7946 0333'_

Boomer was surprised. His father had worked with someone else before creating the security system that gave Jojo Enterprises its fame? And something even more shocking... Dr. Jojo and Dr. Narushima had been best friends?

Was this why Narushima was involved in this? Did he want revenge on the Jojo family for getting rid of his father?

Boomer shook his head. But then...where was Dr. Narushima now?

* * *

"...and now we're in _this_ mess. Dai, Butch and Boomer are away to stop Natsuki from practically murdering Kaoru and I'm here, waiting for the police to be issued a warrant to enter the premises so we can bring in back-up."

Momoko blinked.

"Too much information?" Then he sighed, "I understand if you want to break up with me. You can leave no—"

She leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. His eyes widened, and he touched his cheek.

"W-what was that for?"

She raised an eyebrow, "For telling me the truth. I know it must've been difficult to tell me what happened, but I'm glad you did."

He smiled, "This is as cliché as it gets, right?"

She nodded and smiled too, "I really like you, Brick."

He froze for a moment before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the lips, "I really like you too," he murmured.

They were about to kiss again when a sudden beep from his phone jolted them both, and they practically propelled away from each other, a blush adorning their faces.

Brick cleared his throat and checked his phone. An e-mail. From Boomer. He hurriedly opened it.

_'Brick. You're not going to believe this. But Dad and Narushima's father, Dr. Narushima, used to be best friends. Apparently, Dr. Narushima worked for Dad as a programmer for the empire, but Dad fired him and basically told him to never speak to him again._

_I've attached a few of the e-mails they've shared onto this e-mail. See if you can find anything out about their connection and more details on what happened. I'll do my best over here._

_Let me know when you've got something._

_- Boomer'_

Brick's eyes widened, and he opened up the attachments. He read through Dr. Jojo's and Dr. Narushima's e-mail messages and was shocked. How come he never heard about this?

There was another security system programme before the one his father had made? And that system had somehow destroyed expensive property?

Not to mention...his father used to be friends with Naruo Narushima's father?

Momoko put her hand on his arm, "Is everything alright? You look worried."

He sighed, "Let's just say that things have got a whole lot more complicated."

Was this why Narushima was working alongside Natsuki? Because he wanted revenge on the Jojo family?

He frowned. Something strange was going on. And Brick knew that if he wanted answers, he'd have to get them from where it all started:

Jojo Enterprises.

* * *

Kaoru looked around. She was alone. Natsuki had suddenly left her, telling her that she had a visitor. And then he turned the lights off.

She had never been afraid of the dark. But, hey, when you're tied to a chair, awaiting your torturous death, fears happen.

"I'm not a damsel in distress," she muttered, "I can do this."

She may not have been a damsel in distress, but it wasn't like she was Batman or something.

"I wish I had superpowers," she grumbled, struggling against the ropes.

They felt itchy and coarse and were sure to leave marks on her wrists by now. She tried to widen the space between her hands and force the rope to untie itself, but it was no use. She sagged in her chair and let her hands droop, feeling hopeless.

Perhaps she really was a damsel in distress. But, if she were, wouldn't someone have come to rescue her by now?

She was sure it was well past midnight and—

She paused.

There. _There._

When she pressed her hands tightly together and pulled them up, the rope seemed to loosen around them.

Perhaps if she could somehow manage to pull her hands up a bit more, she could free them. It was wishful thinking, but at least it was a possibility!

Kaoru tried not to get too hopeful since her hands were tied at her back against the chair, so it would be rather painful for her to pull her hands up in this position. But it was worth a try. She made both her hands straight and vertical, pushing them against each other as hard as she could and tried to wriggle it up through the rope.

Yes! It was working! The rope was loosening, and she could feel her hand slipping out!

But it was still painful, and she could feel stings shooting up her collar bone and at her upper spine. Too much stress was being put on her body from this position. But she had to. She had to get free. It was her only hope.

She kept wriggling her hands, pulling them up, and finally she was able to free them.

Her heart sped up in excitement.

_Yes!_

Now, she could hope.

She used her free hands to untie the rope around her torso and her legs. She was able to do those quickly.

_Wow, for a psychopathic genius, Natsuki sure is bad at tying ropes properly. All the more luck for me,_ she supposed.

She would've danced in victory, but there was no time to take such risks. Natsuki had been gone for too long, and he would probably return by now. She had to get out. The room was plunged in darkness, and she didn't know where the light switch was. She didn't even know if there were any other doors in the room other than the one Natsuki had gone through.

_Think! Think!_

She had to get out of here quickly before he came back and realised she had managed to free herself. If she got caught now, she was sure that Natsuki would make it mandatory to keep her chained and attached to a stone block. And she was also sure that she would never be able to escape that.

As she wandered around the large room, she stumbled over something that clinked together. She kneeled down and ran her finger hesitantly across the object.

But it wasn't an object. It was lots of objects.

Blades.

These were the blades that Natsuki had been showcasing to her earlier. These were the weapons he had been considering to use to...kill her.

She shuddered. Picking up a blade, she gently ran her fingertip across it since she couldn't really see just how sharp it was in the dark. She felt a slight sting and knew that there was probably a thin line of red forming on her finger. She hissed.

This would do.

She picked up the blade and gripped onto it tightly. Surely, this would be some sort of protection protection. Suddenly, she heard footsteps.

Shit!

She was too late.

She leaned against the wall, hoping that she could blend in and prayed that it wasn't Natsuki, and even if it was then he at least wouldn't turn on the lights.

But the universe had miraculous ways of working. And instead of any of the above. She realised that she wasn't leaning against the wall but rather another door when the door clicked open and she fell through. She quickly closed the door and found a lock. She gently locked it, hoping that Natsuki wouldn't hear it from the other side.

Suddenly, one hand grabbed onto her arm from behind her and another hand flew to her mouth and covered it. She tried to scream but then the person's hot breath hit her ear as he spoke softly, "Don't scream, Kaoru."

She recognised the voice and immediately breathed a sigh of relief and he removed his hand from her mouth. She turned around, "Butch, what are you doing here?" she whispered.

They both jumped when they heard Natsuki roar in outrage from the other side of the door, "She's gone? SHE'S GONE? I TOLD YOU BRAINLESS IDIOTS TO WATCH HER! CAN'T YOU DO ONE SIMPLE JOB PROPERLY?"

"S-sir, we weren't aware—"

"SHUT UP!" He breathed deeply, obviously trying to calm down. "I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. Just...just find her!"

"Yes, sir!"

Butch and Kaoru stayed silent for a moment before Kaoru finally muttered, "Why are you here?"

"I thought you were dead."

Her eyes widened. But then she narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm so mad at you."

He looked surprised, "I just came and played swordplay with Narushima, even though I've never held a sword in my life. I'm risking my life here to save you. Wait. He told you."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't a statement. It was the simple truth.

"He told you, didn't he?"

She glared at him, "Of course he did! And why am I only hearing about this now? Of course, I'm not only mad at you. I'm much more angrier at my brother," she growled. "And when were you planning on telling me that you were the son of a multi-billionaire and the CEO of Jojo Enterprises?"

_"Founder_ and CEO," he corrected. Then he sighed, "Kaoru—"

She shook her head, "Look, just...just forget about it," she mumbled, "Let's just get out of here while we still have the chance."

Natsuki's voice cut clear through the air. "Kaoru! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

Butch shook his head, "Come on. Let's hurry. We can—"

"Kaoru! I'm sure you don't want your brother to get hurt."

Kaoru froze, and her eyes widened.

Butch tried to pull her forward, "He's bluffing. Dai and Boomer were together when I last saw them."

"What? Dai and Boomer are here as well?"

Natsuki growled, "Quit hiding, Kaoru! I have Dai, and I'll make sure to hurt him. Much worse than what I planned."

She'd never heard him so angry before, and it was beginning to scare her. She had no doubt in her mind that he really did have some kind of anger-violence disorder.

"Would you quit yanking me by the neck?" growled Dai, "I'm already tied, you know. It's not like I'm gonna make a run for it any time soon. Just leave my sister alone."

Kaoru started shaking. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Natsuki actually _did_ have Dai. He had her brother. And he was going to kill him.

Butch seemed to have frozen too. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Save Kaoru? Or save Dai? Save his girlfriend? Or save his best friend?

"You know I'll find you anyway, Kaoru." Natsuki's voice grew louder and louder. And Butch and Kaoru realised that this was because he was getting closer to the door they were hiding behind.

There was no way out. The other door behind them was jammed as Butch tried to open it. He probably could've kicked it down if he tried hard enough, but it would make too much noise. And if Natsuki heard, there wouldn't be enough time to get away.

Butch shut his eyes and held onto Kaoru's hand. She squeezed back. She was just as scared as him.

This was it. This was the end.

Natsuki finally found the door and opened it. A wicked grin curled onto his face. "Found you~."

They were screwed.

* * *

**AN: Those phone numbers are fake. Just in case you were hoping to use them and prank call somebody. Even if you did call the phone numbers, you'd be charged a hefty lot if you're anywhere international because that's the London area code. ;) I have no freaking idea what the fake phone number is for Japan, so... Pfsh.**

**In other news, Butch and Kaoru are pretty much screwed and nothing is going right for our much loved couple. However, things are getting pretty serious and complicated. Boomer and Brick got an investigation going and answers will be demanded. Looks like past scars are become unsealed.**

**Ignore me and my weird metaphorical sentences...**

**Review, s'il vous plaît? :D**


	15. Ghosts From the Past

**AN: I'm back in Waterloo! Know what that means? Internet, baby!**

**Now, I hope you guys can stomach a load of information, because you've all been doing well so far. Things are going to get serious. (I know, that's a first, knowing me.) So enjoy the chapter my wonderfully amazing readers! :D**

**_Edited by: Dejiko001_**

* * *

_**PART XV:**__ Ghosts From the Past_

* * *

Brick Jojo was on a mission. He _had_ to find out. He just _had_ to find out what was going on. And if that meant resurfacing unwanted memories from the past, then so be it.

This was a matter of life and death. And Brick prayed that the latter wouldn't happen.

He walked through the corridors of the empire building with his head held high, his footsteps purposeful. He approached the main office where a personal reception blocked the entry.

The receptionist looked over her half-mooned glasses with a bored expression, "Can I help you, sir?"

"I'm Brick Jojo. I'm here to speak with my father."

Her eyes widened in surprised, and she quickly nodded, "Oh, of course, Mr. Jojo. Please take a seat, and I'll call Dr. Jojo to let him know you're here."

He nodded and sat down on the luxurious sofa that was placed neatly against the tall ceiling-to-floor windows. A beautiful view of Tokyo City in its busy nightlife unfolded before him. Lights outside blinking in and out of sight. Skyscrapers twirling into the cool dark air. The movement of flashes here and there with lights in buildings flickering on and off.

It was beauty caught in silence. An innocent butterfly caught into a deadly trap.

Suddenly, his stomach churned. Kaoru could very well be dead by now. What time was it anyway? He knew it was well past midnight, and the police were still in the process of getting a warrant.

"Mr. Jojo?"

Brick looked at the secretary, raising an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"Dr. Jojo will see you now." The receptionist led the way to the large double doors and opened it, gesturing him to go inside.

It had been a long time since Brick had actually been inside his father's office. It was no surprise that he and his brothers weren't that close with their father considering the amount of time he spent in his work and on the empire. And since their mother was long gone, it had always been the three of them taking care of each other, looking out for one another.

Brick knew that he wouldn't have had it any other way, of course. Though a parental figure would've certainly helped.

But as he stepped into his father's office, he forgot what he was thinking about and was hit by a tidal wave of memories. Memories that he had pushed to the back of his mind over the long years. Memories that were now floating to the top. No, not floating. _Streaming._ Hitting him with a force like they wanted him to see. Like they wanted him to remember.

And, oh, he remembered alright.

Like a crystal clear movie, the scene played out in his head. He still felt the fear and the other chaotic emotions that had rendered him speechless at the time when he was only twelve.

He could still remember the thoughts that had crowded his head that night when the police arrested him and sent Natsuki away to the psychiatric ward in the hospital.

He remembered every detail.

And like ghosts from the past, they were returning to him in vivid light.

He hesitantly approached the hefty glass desk. It was night, and the lights were turned off. A large black office chair stood behind the sturdy desk but his father wasn't sitting in it.

His father was standing in front of the tall two-storey window, his arms folded behind his back and his back turned to Brick. He was a dark silhouette against the bright nightlife that shone through the glass.

Brick was indecisive. What was he supposed to do now?

After a moment, his father's voice finally cut the silence, "Sometimes I like watching this view, you know."

Brick was surprised. His father rarely ever talked so casually with him. It had always been a formal relationship, despite him being his son.

"It's…calm. Peaceful. It reminds me of the time before I built this empire."

_Before?_ Brick found it strange. Of course his father had to have started out from somewhere… It just never occurred to him that... Wow. He had always imagined his father had been born into this empire. Did this mean that there was actually a time when things were normal? Were they once a normal family?

Brick didn't know. He and his brothers were born after his father had founded his empire. Their mother had died when they were only four, so they hardly remembered her that well. All they ever knew was that their father was so busy with work that they could only rely on their nannies and maids to pass their time.

That's how their childhood had always been.

Was there ever a time when things were normal?

Dr. Jojo sighed, "Your mother and I got married when we were eighteen. We used to live in a small run-down apartment in the city. That's where I started the empire. From an apartment that could barely cope without pulling a fire alarm every time we cooked something in the kitchenette." He gave a small laugh.

This was news. Brick listened attentively. His father had never talked about their mother before. And he never told them anything about the past. He was worried he would never get the chance to hear this again.

"But we somehow managed. We had enough money to get by in our daily lives, and I worked as a grocery-boy while your mother worked as a hospital cleaner. Not the most glamorous jobs I can assure you, but then I managed to save enough money to buy a laptop. I'd always been good at programming. It was a talent rather than a skill.

"So, one day, I began to create an anti-virus programme. I realised it surpassed any other anti-virus programme that had been currently in stock at the time. I was going to sell it off to another company but then realised it would only make me a little money, and your mother was pregnant. So I then started up a small online company. Nothing big. It was only to offer a downloadable version of the anti-virus programme I had created for a price.

"People began to buy, and 5-star reviews poured in. We were slowly able to make more money to keep us. And by the time you and your brothers were born, my company finally made its first headquarters on a floor in an office building. Jojo Enterprises was growing rapidly, and we needed to keep it fuelled. I spent most of my time away from our apartment and at the small office instead so I could work on developing a new security system.

"Maybe that was my mistake," his father said, looking down at the floor, his voice suddenly quiet, "Maybe that's where I went wrong. Your mother was alone, and I…I left her alone. I didn't know it at the time. I was so focused on the company. I just wanted us to finally be able to live in luxury. I thought this was our big break. I thought we could make it. But it never occurred to me that perhaps she didn't want that." He paused.

"It never occurred to me that maybe she didn't want fame and riches. That she only wanted a normal family life with enough money to bring up our children. That she was perfectly fine with living in a small apartment that she so dearly kept clean and called 'home'. I had never even thought…

"I was away nearly all the time. I was hardly at home. Most of the time, I even worked overnight. Your mother… Your mother finally started to become…unstable. She became emotionally unbalanced and every little thing would cause her to break down. I sent her to psychiatrists; I called the best doctors. But it never occurred to me that maybe all she really needed to get better was a loving husband who would come home every night.

"Finally, she became ill. Migraines and fever—those was the only things that the doctors could see was wrong with her. Then, when you and your brothers were only four, she quietly passed away. I immersed myself in my work after that. Not to support the family, but so that I wouldn't have to look at you and your brothers in the eye and tell you that it was my fault. That it was my fault that she died. That it's _still_ my fault that you no longer have a mother.

"I…I didn't want to marry again. So I never did. I pushed everyone away, including you." He sighed. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. I think you're old enough to know, Brick. Today is your mother's death anniversary. She died on this date."

Brick stayed silent. He had never known. This history, this reason. He had never even known… Butch had always wondered. Butch had always tried to ask, but their father only pushed him away. Butch hated their father for it. He still did.

But now there was a reason.

But was it a justified reason?

So many thoughts crowded his head together. His mother, his father, his brothers, the empire, Natsuki, Dai…Kaoru.

Kaoru.

Oh, God. _Kaoru._

"Why are you here, Brick? It's well past bed time."

Brick began to shake, "W-what time is it?"

His father turned around and checked his watch, "1:46am," he looked at his son, "Brick, are you alright?"

No. No, he wasn't. She was probably dead. And since he hadn't heard from Dai, Butch or Boomer in a long time, it wasn't hard to assume that they were probably dead too.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

_No._

Brick suddenly dropped to his knees and sobbed, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Dad, I am so so sorry."

His father looked at him in surprise before quickly coming over and kneeling down beside him, "No, Brick. It's not your fault. It's mine. Don't cry about this. You know your mother loved you."

Brick shook his head, still sobbing, "I-It's not that. I did something horrible, Dad."

His father smiled, "Brick, what could you have possibly done that's so horrible?"

"I broke into your office six years ago with Natsuki, Dai and Butch. We stole back-up data from your computer by hacking. Now, Natsuki is going to kill us."

His father froze.

After a long moment of silence, he finally whispered, "What have you done?"

* * *

Miyako walked into the police station and found Momoko sitting in front of a computer. "I got your call."

Momoko looked up, "Oh, thank God. I'm so sorry for bringing you out of the house this late."

"Don't worry. I told Granny that it was an emergency and that you needed my help. She told me it was okay, just as long as I kept calling her every hour to let her know I'm safe."

Momoko smiled and nodded, "I'm glad you're here."

"What's going on? You sounded urgent on the phone. Why are you in the police station?"

Momoko repeated the same story Brick had told her but cut out the less important parts. When she finished, Miyako looked surprised.

"Oh. So what are you doing now? Where's Brick?"

"Well, Boomer sent Brick an e-mail half an hour ago about their dad and Naruo Narushima's dad being best friends. So Brick has gone to the empire's headquarters to talk to his father about it. I'm here because the police are waiting for a warrant to get into Narushima's building so they can bring back-up. But it's taking some time since there's a lot of complexities in ownership."

"Right…"

"I know, I know. Not exactly the way you wanted to spend your night, but I really need you to help me. Kaoru could be dead by now and—"

"Don't say that!"

Momoko sighed, "But… I just don't know what to do. I'm scared. This is all so messed up."

Miyako nodded and sat down on a spare seat, "I know. But we have to be calm. If we lose all hope now, it's not going to do her much good if she still_is_ alive."

"I know…"

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to—"

One of the detectives approached them, "Sorry to bother you, ladies. But do you know where Brick Jojo is?"

"He's gone to speak to his father for a moment," said Momoko, "We believe that his father and Narushima's father are connected in this. Brick told me to pass on any messages from you to him."

The detective nodded, "Alright, then. Well, we've being going through land ownership and we found that the land doesn't actually belong to Naruo Narushima."

Momoko seemed surprised, "Really? Then who?"

"Well, apparently it belongs to a Dr. Narushima and Mr. Urawa. It's a joint ownership. We know that Dr. Narushima is Naruo Narushima's father, but we don't know any relations of Mr. Urawa. If we did, we could solve this warrant problem quickly."

Momoko frowned, "Huh… Mr. Urawa. I've never heard of that surname. I'll tell Brick, and we'll let you know if we find anything."

The detective nodded, "Thank you. We're in the meeting room, still tracking down family lines. You can find us there. Would you like us to bring you anything? Tea? Coffee? Juice?"

Miyako piped up, "Pepsi?"

The detective nodded, "Yeah, you'll need all the caffeine you can get. I'll bring one over."

"Thanks."

The detective then left, and Momoko sighed, "Oh, Miyako, this is absolutely horrible. I just found out that my boyfriend is involved in all this crazy mess and one of my best friends is quite possibly dead, and I can't do anything about it. And now this situation has gotten more complicated." She banged her forehead against the table.

Miyako shook her head, "No, no. Momoko, you have to be an optimist."

"About what? Everything's so messed up…"

"Look, I know it's hard. Just try to think positive and clear your mind. First, call Brick and let him know about the land ownership and see if he knows anything about Mr. Urawa."

Momoko nodded in a glum manner and pulled out her phone. She dialled Brick's number and waited. No answer. She tried again. And then again. She shook her head and Miyako, "He's not answering."

"Maybe he's busy."

"I wish we had another one of the brothers' numbers. We could've called Boomer or something."

Miyako's face lit up, "I have Butch and Boomer's number."

"You do?" asked Momoko, looking surprised.

"Yeah. Boomer and I are partners on a fashion project, remember? And Butch is our client. Do you want me to call Boomer first?"

Momoko nodded, "Hand me the phone."

Miyako dialled the number and passed the phone to Momoko who sat in barely-controlled anticipation. He picked up. "Boomer? Hi, this is Momoko, Brick's girlfriend." She felt weird saying those last two words.

Boomer seemed surprised, _"Oh. Um, he's busy right now, so…"_

"Don't worry. I know about the whole Natsuki thing. He told me."

_"H-He did?"_

"Yeah, look. I have a question. Does the surname 'Urawa' ring any bells?"

_"Hm… Urawa? I don't think so…"_

"We're still trying to get a warrant over here. We're only having problems with the ownership of the building, and we need to know ownership in order to place a warrant. We found out that it belongs to Dr. Narushima and Mr. Urawa. We know that Dr. Narushima is Naruo Narushima's father, but we have no idea who Mr. Urawa's relations could be. Any ideas?"

She could hear Boomer tapping his fingers on a table. _"I'll try and do some research and get back to you."_

"Alright. Thanks."

_"Don't mention it. Oh, and Momoko?"_

"Yeah?"

_"Please don't do anything reckless."_

She smiled even though he couldn't see it, "I'll try. Thanks."

* * *

Natsuki smiled at the three teenagers that stood in front of him. Their hands were tied behind their backs and a whole circle of guards surrounded them.

"I admire the way you actually tried to save your sister, Dai. And Butch, that was a spectacular display of swordsmanship. But you've actually done me a favour. Here I was, only going to kill Kaoru. But now that you two are here, you can get live front row seats to see the show."

Dai gritted his teeth, "The hell's wrong with you? You're mad at _me_, not her! So let her go!"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow, "I hate you. So why on earth would I listen and comply to your advances?"

Butch shook his head, "You're even more insane than I remember."

"Well, of course. Mental asylums and straitjackets tend to do that."

"You didn't deserve to go to an asylum," muttered Kaoru under her breath, but Natsuki heard.

"What did you say?"

Dai glared at him, "Don't show sympathy to that monster, Kaoru. He's just trying to mess with you."

"At least I don't lie to people," she snapped.

Dai looked at her like he had just been slapped. "W-what? Kaoru, I—"

"You lied to me. The ICT Club, the Hackerz, your friendship… God, you _lied_ to me! You willingly lied to _me_. Your sister! I'm your _sister!"_

He scowled, "Kaoru, this isn't the time nor the place. And for your information, I had a very good reason—"

"To save yourself? To protect your 'perfect' image and reputation? Yeah? Is that it? And Natsuki had to pay the price? Don't get me wrong. I hate him, and I think he's more than insane. I'm not defending him. But you still lied to me! You lied to mum and dad! You lied to everyone! You're a liar!"

"I did it to protect you!"

"From what? You couldn't have known this was going to happen!"

"I didn't want you to get involved!"

"Oh, yeah? You wanted to keep me safe, huh? And what about when Natsuki threatened you? My life or those files. Did you maybe ever think of telling me the truth then? Huh, Dai?"

Dai growled, "Kaoru, you're just a kid! You wouldn't understand!"

"I'm seventeen! I'm not a freaking kid anymore! Stop treating me like one! Why does everyone always treat me like I'm so goddamn fragile!"

"You're just a girl!"

"Is that it then? I'm a girl, and suddenly I have no right to know that my life is in danger?" yelled Kaoru.

Dai narrowed his eyes at his sister, "You are so stupid. You are so fucking stupid! For once in your life, would you actually think about others instead of yourself? Quit acting like such a bitch and grow up! You say you're not a kid? I find that hard to believe!"

Butch sighed, "Guys, please don't fight."

Kaoru ignored him and muttered, "Oh, so you think I'm a stupid little bitch, huh?"

Dai suddenly stopped. He sighed, "Kaoru—"

"Natsuki, could you let me go for one second so I can hit him?"

Natsuki shrugged and signalled to the guards to untie her hands. He kept a close eye on her to see if she would pull any tricks. Kaoru walked up to her brother and slapped him hard across the face.

"I. _Hate._ You," she spat before one of the guards began to tie her hands again.

Dai looked at her surprised, "Y-you hit me."

"I'd do it again."

He laughed mockingly, "You're so fucking immature!"

Butch sighed and closed his eyes. For the love of all things good. Did they really have to have their little sibling squabble now? When they were going to be killed in just a few minutes? He noticed that Natsuki was silently enjoying their quarrel as a sly smirk curled around his face.

"Oh, really? Is that all you can say?"

"See? You are a baby! You act like such a kid and—"

"Would you guys just shut up?!" yelled Butch.

They looked at him.

"Dai, you're a fucking asshole! Quit picking on your sister! She has every right to be angry at us! And Kaoru, have you ever thought that maybe Dai actually has your best interests at heart? He's been trying to protect you all week! You're both such fucking idiots, so why don't you just shut up?!"

They both stayed silent.

That silence was finally broken when Natsuki clapped his hands, "Bravo. Bravo! That was wonderful. Now, Kaoru, how would you like to make a proposition with me?"

She looked at him skeptically, "A proposition?"

Dai shook his head, "Don't do it, Kaoru. He's just going to make you suffer."

She shot him a glare, "Don't tell me what to do!"

"I'm telling you the _right_ thing to do!"

"How would you know what the right thing to do is? You've made wrong decisions before."

Butch groaned, "Not again."

Natsuki cleared his throat, "As fun as this is, could you two please save it for later? Now, as for the proposition, I want you to kill me."

The room was silent.

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

"Deadly serious. No pun intended."

She eyed him, "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch. You kill me, and you, your brother and your boyfriend can leave."

"Why? Why do you want me to kill you?"

He shrugged. "Frankly, I don't care if I die or not. But I realised that I don't really have anything to live for. If you kill me, I die peacefully, and you are free."

It was perfect. This was the opportunity that she'd been looking for. She wanted freedom, and now it was only one step away.

But there had to be a catch.

As the guards untied her hands, she looked at Natsuki. She tried to find some hint of amusement or a tell-tale sign that he was planning something devious. But his expression revealed nothing. In fact, he even looked sober.

He handed her his blade. The Yanyue Dao. She remembered this. This was the ferocious blade he had been planning to use on her. She looked at the blade and twisted it to reflect the light onto it.

Then she looked around her. Dai caught her eye and frowned before looking away. But she caught the sad expression he had. Butch kept his gaze trained on the ground, his hands clenched into fists. He obviously didn't want to witness this.

She realised that none of them wanted to see this.

Kaoru looked back to Natsuki, "Who are you?"

He was momentarily surprised, "What?"

"Who are you? Who are your parents? What _were_ you?"

He smirked, "Smart girl. My name's Natsuki Urawa. My parents… I don't know who my mother is. My father was a junkie. I hated him. I ran away from home at the age of five because he used to beat me. I was found by an orphan daycare centre. They took me in. I was smarter than all the other kids, so instead of being homeschooled like they were, I was allowed to go to a proper secondary school. That's when I met your brother, Dai. And you know the rest."

Kaoru muttered, "Are you happy?"

"I have everything I need."

"I didn't ask that. I asked if you are _happy."_

"Happiness doesn't matter."

"It does if you want to live."

"I don't want to live."

Kaoru sighed and place the blade in his hands, "I won't kill you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not like you. I'm not a murderer."

There was silence for a moment before that wicked smirk appeared on his face again, "I knew you were too good."

Dai looked confused, "Good?"

"I can't kill you, Natsuki," she muttered, "You're insane, and I hate you. But I'm not a murderer."

Natsuki shrugged, "Standard response. Your sister's a whole lot smarter than you give her credit for, Dai. Are you sure _you're_ the genius in the family?"

Dai gritted his teeth, "Stop toying with my sister."

Natsuki grinned, "Why? Do you find it repulsive when I 'toy' with her?"

The way he said it hinted at a much more sexual implication.

Butch shook his head, "Natsuki, stop it. Please."

But Dai was less level-headed, he growled, "You sick bastard! How dare you? I swear if you even think about touching her—"

Natsuki laughed and looked at Kaoru, "Since you're too smart for me, I demand you to kill your brother."

Silence.

"What?" she breathed, "You can't be serious."

"I am." He placed the flesh-tearing blade in her hands again. This time, the blade seemed to feel heavier than before. "You kill him, then you and your boyfriend can leave and I promise to never bother you again. And trust me, I always keep my promises."

Kaoru quickly shook her head, "No. No. You're insane."

"Unfortunately, I am." He grinned. "But don't worry. Sometimes, to win, you've got to lose."

"No. I won't. I won't kill my brother. How could you ask that?"

Dai shook his head, "Kaoru, it's fine. Do it. Just…do it quickly and get out."

Butch scowled, "You are a whole lot more twisted than I ever thought you were. Why? Daddy problems?"

Natsuki smirked coldly at him, "I could say the same to you."

They both glared at each other in silence. The tension in the room was thick.

Kaoru sighed, "Natsuki. No. I can't. I can't kill him."

Natsuki shrugged, "Well, you either kill him and be free, or I kill you and kill them after. Either way, blood will be shed, and either way, you can't save your brother."

And although he said it so casually, Kaoru knew he was serious. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes and his smirk seemed so much more hostile now.

He was not normal. He was not sound in mind.

The blade in her hand weighed much heavier now. Perhaps because she was now in charge of their fate. Their destiny.

Their death.

After a long moment, she finally nodded, "I'll do it. I'll kill my brother."

* * *

**AN: Drama, drama, drama. I know you guys probably hate me for the insane amount of drama and cliffhangers I've been putting in this story. It's pretty weird to me too. Hopefully my humour will return at some point and make all this chaotic suspense go away. ;)**

**And I remember saying at some point that the story would be seventeen chapters? I did a bit of re-calculation (my nerd habits...) and it's looking to be eighteen chapters now. Pfsh, not that one chapter would make much of a difference. XD**

**Review, mes amies! :3**


	16. Taking Responsibility

**AN: This chapter is slightly short. Sorry! I'm finally finishing off my work-shadowing so I haven't had much time to write. I still feel like it's rushed, but I'll never end up updating if I keep trying to edit this. So I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Thank you so much for your reviews, follows and favs! :D**

* * *

_**PART XVI: **Taking Responsibility_

* * *

"I'll do it. I'll kill my brother."

Natsuki looked at Kaoru with suspicion to make sure she didn't try anything. Kaoru tried not to make any eye contact with Dai. She didn't want to see his expression. She was trying to buy time. Time for anything. Butch had mentioned Boomer was here somewhere in the building. Perhaps he could...

She approached her brother quietly and, looking down, whispered, "I'm sorry."

He nodded, "Don't worry. I'm really sorry for being such a bad brother."

"You're not."

"I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted for you to become involved." He sighed, "I love you."

"I know. I love you too." She risked a quick glance at his expression and saw that he was smiling.

"You know I'm proud of you no matter what, Kaoru. Yeah, we fight and we argue. But you're still my little sister. You've been there for me. I only wish I could do the same."

"Don't say that, it sounds so much like a goodbye."

"That's because it is."

She held in her tears. _No._ She wouldn't cry. For her brother's sake she wouldn't cry. She would be strong.

But it was hard to stay strong when you had to kill your family.

Natsuki rolled his eyes, "Kaoru, do you mind picking up the pace? I'm beginning to get bored."

"I wonder why," muttered Butch under his breath, "The guy probably puts people in shark tanks just for fun. I'm not surprised."

Everyone, however, heard in the silence and a few of the guards began to snicker. Even Dai and Kaoru exchanged an amused glance. Natsuki scowled, "Would you like to find out, Butch?"

"No, thank you. I'd rather not. That's more of _your_ speciality."

Natsuki smacked him hard across the face and, without sparing a glance, he stalked over to Kaoru. "How hard is it? Just kill him! If you don't know how, I'll be more than happy to show you. Turn around, Dai."

Dai sighed and turned his back to Kaoru, knowing it would probably be for the better if she couldn't see his expression while she—

A ringtone cut off his thoughts.

Butch's ringtone. He'd know that Funkytown tune from anywhere.

It was so loud in the silence that it startled them all, and Kaoru took this chance to swipe her blade through the ropes that kept Dai's wrists tied. He was freed. Natsuki finally noticed this and tried to grab Kaoru by the neck, but Dai punched him square in the face while Kaoru quickly sliced through Butch's ropes too. She wondered why she didn't do all this earlier, but there was no point wondering that now.

The guards finally registered in their idiotic brains that the three teenagers were getting away and ran after them.

* * *

"Come on, Butch. Pick up. Pick up."

"He's probably busy, Momoko."

"What could he possibly be doing? Running for his life?"

"Well, it is a possibility," said Miyako, then she sighed, "Have you reached Brick yet?"

"No. I haven't. I don't know why the hell he's not picking up either. The only brother that's actually responding is Boomer, which is good news since now we know that at least _someone_ in this whole mess is alive."

Miyako nodded, "Look. Just calm down. Have some Pepsi and I'll talk to Boomer, okay?"

Momoko looked miserable, "Alright. But I doubt it will do any good."

"We'll see." She dialled Boomer's number and waited for him to pick up. "Hey, Boomer?"

_"Oh, hi, Miyako. Everything alright? Any news?"_ He sounded eager.

"Sadly, no and no. I thought I could help you out with your research."

_"Yeah, I've been looking through Dr. Narushima's e-mails but I still can't seem to find anything with 'Urawa' in it. This whole Natsuki incident is getting weirder and weirder."_

"Have you heard from the others?"

_"Not yet. I think they're at the other side of the building."_

Miyako sighed, "This is hopeless. We'll never get anywhere if this continues," she then turned to Momoko, "Can't we get a warrant without ownership?"

Momoko shook her head, "Ownership is the most important part."

Miyako sighed again and talked to Boomer, "Everything is a dead end here at the police station until we can figure out how Mr. Urawa has connections with Dr. Narushima and Naruo Narushima."

_"Have you asked Brick?"_

"Still no sign of him."

_"Damn. Still?"_

"Unfortunately."

_"Butch?"_

"He's not answering."

_"Last time I saw him, he was sword fighting with Narushima."_

"He was _what?"_

_"Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine."_

"Oh, he knows sword fighting?"

_"Er...no. But he _does_ know ballet."_

Miyako groaned, "How is _that_ supposed to help him?"

Boomer seemed to take offence, _"Excuse you. I used to do ballet as well! And I'll have you know that ballet has taught me balance, flexibility and agility."_

She sighed, "Boomer, do you know anything about Narushima or Natsuki?"

_"I only know what you know about Narushima. And Natsuki...I have never met him in my life and I don't plan to. I guess I— Huh? Butch? Dai? Kaoru? What are you three doing here?"_

Miyako frowned. She could hear shouting and Butch saying, _"Come on, we have to hurry! They're onto us!"_

And then the line went dead.

Huh.

Miyako turned to Momoko, "Well, I just found out that Dai, Butch, Boomer and Kaoru are all alive."

Momoko spat her Pepsi all over the desk, "What?"

"Uh...they're alive? Although, by the shouting and panic I heard on the phone, I don't know if that will be the case in an hour's time."

"Wait. Kaoru's _alive?_ And so are the others? What's going on? Are they safe?"

Miyako shrugged, "I don't know. They didn't say anything. But I think they're still inside the building being chased."

Momoko swore. "We need that back up."

"We need that warrant."

Momoko sighed, "Well, at least there's hope." Then she gave a small smile to Miyako. "He likes you, you know."

"Huh? Who?"

"Boomer."

"Of course he likes me. We're friends."

Momoko shook her head, "No. I mean that he _likes you_ likes you."

A tint of pink appeared on Miyako's cheeks and she looked away, not answering.

Momoko smiled knowingly.

* * *

"Dad, please. You have to help me. Everyone's in trouble. I promise you can ground me or disown me if you want after this is all over. But I need your help!" Brick was practically begging now.

He had told his father the whole story. And his father hadn't even looked him in the eye once.

"Dad, you feel guilty about Mum. Well, I feel guilty about _this_. If I don't fix this, then we're all dead."

His father turned away from him, his voice flat, "What do you want to know then?"

And somehow, that managed to cut through him like a knife. But Brick clenched his fists and tried to control his hurt and anger. He had to do this. There were people in trouble and he was part of it.

"Does the name 'Dr. Narushima' ring any bells?" he asked.

His father froze. "How do you know that name?"

"It's true, isn't it? He was your best friend and you fired him."

"I had my reasons, Brick. Reasons that you will understand when you grow up."

"But don't you see? There's no time! I need to know those reasons _now!_ Dr. Narushima's son, Naruo Narushima, is out to get revenge on your company by stealing the empire's files and he's going to kill everyone to do it. I need to know what was so bad about you doing something simple as firing an employee that his son is now out _murdering_ people for vengeance!"

"I'll get security. You don't have to worry about this, Brick."

"Worry? You think I'm _worried?_ Dad, I'm living it! This horror? I'm _living_ it! This is serious! Don't you see? We've been hiding behind our perfect reputations for so long, we can't even take responsibility for our own actio—"

"That's enough, Brick!"

They both stayed silent.

Brick muttered, "Just tell me what happened. I'm your son. I have a right to know. Please, Dad. Be honest. Please don't lie to me."

"You've lied to _me."_

"Exactly, which is why I'm telling you the truth now. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"When are you finally going to see that our lives are connected and that we're all responsible for what happens to us? When are you going to admit that you're _human?_ That you're not _perfect?_ When are you finally going to open your eyes to what's really going on and tell the truth?"

His father didn't say anything.

Brick gave a short laugh, "Ha! You're hopeless. Butch was right. You don't care. You never did. Have fun living in your lies, Dad. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to save my brothers. You know, only if they're still alive."

Brick walked out of the office and then the empire's headquarters building without a second glance. When outside, he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Nine missed calls.

And they were all from Momoko.

_Crap._

He quickly called her, "Momoko? What's up?"

_"What's up? I've been trying to call you for the past half an hour! Why didn't you pick up?"_

"Uh...I was busy..."

_"Look, forget about that. I called to let you know that Dai, Butch, Kaoru and Boomer are alive—"_

Brick sighed in relief, "Thank goodness."

_"—but they won't be for much longer. We need that warrant."_

"They still haven't got the warrant sorted out?"

_"We're having problems with the ownership. Apparently the building doesn't belong to Naruo Narushima. It belongs to Dr. Narushima and Mr. Urawa. We know who Dr. Narushima is but we have no idea what the relations to Mr. Urawa might be. That's the only problem we're having."_

His eyes widened, "Momoko. I know who he is."

"You...you do?"

"Mr. Urawa is Natsuki's father. Natsuki hated him because he was always abused. That's all I know. But I'm sure that Natsuki is in relation to him. Natsuki's surname is 'Urawa' too."

_"No way."_

"Yes way. I'm coming back to the police station right now. Get the warrant as quickly as you can."

_"I'm on it."_

Brick let out a breath he'd been holding in. It looked like there was hope somewhere, after all. Now he just hoped that they would all live unscathed.

Suddenly, another ring from his phone caught him by surprise. He looked at the caller ID and almost did a double take. He pressed the phone to his ear hesitantly, "Yes, Dad?"

"Come inside the office, son. I'll tell you about Dr. Narushima."

* * *

Dai tugged on Boomer's arm as they ran through the corridors of the building. This place was like a freaking maze. Which way in? Which way out? It looked easier when they had first come inside.

"What is this place?" muttered Kaoru.

"I'm guessing it's some kind of factory, considering the amount of computers there are in this place," replied Butch.

"Narushima said something about his father working here. Any ideas?"

Butch flinched at the name 'Narushima' but tried not to show it as he said, "Probably a laboratory, then? I'm surprised, though. What kind of father lets his son use his workplace as a location to keep someone hostage?"

Gone was nice Butch and there returned the sarcastic and mean Butch, the one who absolutely despised Narushima. Kaoru couldn't say she didn't hate him either. But she was also a little suspicious and a whole lot curious about the reason he was involved.

"Do you know why he's working with Natsuki?" she asked.

"I have no idea," responded Boomer, "But I did find out that Narushima's father, Dr. Narushima, used to be best friends with our father, Dr. Jojo."

Butch looked at him with wide eyes, "What?"

Boomer shrugged, "Apparently, Dr. Narushima used to work under Dr. Jojo for building security systems. He messed something up really badly, and then he got fired from the empire. Dad basically told him to never speak to him again and to just get lost. But what happened after is a mystery."

Butch frowned, "Something about this isn't adding up. Why the hell are Natsuki and Narushima working together anyway? What's _their_ connection?"

Dai growled, "Now's not the time for questioning, guys! Could you please kindly help me locate the freaking exit?!"

Suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps and shouts.

The guards.

The four teenagers searched around them for a possible route when they realised that they were at a dead end. There were two tunnels. One leading to the left and the other leading to the right.

Dai sighed, "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this. But we have to split up. Boomer and I will go down the right. Butch, Kaoru: you two both go down the left. We all have our phones, right?"

Butch and Boomer nodded.

The guards were getting closer.

Dai panicked, "Okay. Go quickly!"

Butch grabbed onto Kaoru's wrist and led her down the left tunnel. "Ow! Ow!" she cried, "Quit yanking my arm off!"

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Then run faster."

She growled at him but said nothing as they ran through the tunnel, hearing the sounds of footsteps from behind them. A few minutes later, when they finally reached into the darkness and could only hear silence, he quickly shoved her against the wall of the tunnel and pressed his lips against hers. She was caught by surprise and her eyes widened. At first she tried to push him away, but then eventually gave in and kissed him back.

The kiss was rough and vigorous. Full of energy and fire. Something that Kaoru had been missing for the past few hours while being tied to a freaking chair.

He pulled away and they both panted. His forehead was touching hers and he looked down into her eyes.

"W-what was that for?" breathed Kaoru, hating the way she stuttered on her words.

"I missed you," he murmured. Then he leaned in and placed a small kiss on her lips, "And I missed..._this_...between us."

"I'm still angry at you... And now we're suddenly kissing?"

He shrugged, feeling stupid for kissing her so suddenly like that, "Call me crazy." Then he looked down the tunnel, "Come on, we have to go."

He grabbed her hand much more gently this time and led the way. He hoped she wouldn't ask why he kissed her.

Because, honestly? He didn't know.

He had been telling the truth when he said he missed her. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't like her angry from time to time. He couldn't help but think that it was almost...sexy.

Something about it turned him on. And that kiss... It was terrifyingly electric.

And he liked it.

He shook his head when he felt his face heat up. This wasn't the time nor the place to be thinking so...lustfully about her. But his body still tingled in warmth and anticipation.

He really needed some cool fresh air. Or quite preferably a cold shower.

Luckily for him, Kaoru wouldn't even look his way. She only kept scowling and looking at the the floor, the walls...anywhere as long as it wasn't him. She didn't know where she stood in his spectrum of thoughts and personas. One moment he was bashful; the next, charming; and suddenly he would turn into a PMSing bitch.

Probably for the better.

After twenty minutes, the silence between them expanded and the tension grew hot and heavy over their heads as they continued walking through the tunnels. They had stopped running long ago. Now it was just the two of them in the dark. And that didn't seem to make them anymore comfortable. The tunnel was becoming stuffy and Kaoru slowly began to dread something.

Did this tunnel even have another open end? It had been a long time, surely they would've ended up somewhere? Would they be stuck here forever?

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the haunting thoughts.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Butch take off his torn cardigan and sweater before slinging them over his shoulder. That meant he was now only wearing a loose white t-shirt.

She felt envious. Of course, _he_ could remove layers in this heat. All she was wearing was a black shirt and green skinny jeans. And she sure as hell wasn't going to take her shirt off while he was here.

Neither of them said anything. It had been incredibly quiet since the kiss and now a thick smog of 'awkward' loomed over them. They were even scared to breathe too loudly.

They just kept walking.

Butch thought of saying something. But he was afraid he'd be deadpanned for every question he asked. Or he'd probably make her mad by saying something ridiculous like he always did. Then again, seeing her angry wouldn't be such a bad thing...

He sighed, "You alright?"

She seemed momentarily surprised before she replied, "Uh...yeah. Fine."

Things were quiet once again.

"You can... Uh, you can take anything off if you want." His face heated up fast in embarrassment and he was glad he was walking in front of her so she couldn't see. "I mean, since it's hot and all. The temperature, I mean." He cringed. "I promise I won't look."

She felt just as awkward as him as she responded, "Uh...yeah. Thanks."

What else was she supposed to say? 'Oh, yeah, Butch! Sure! I'll just unbutton my shirt real slow and sexy-like, just for you. You know what I mean?'

She chuckled in amusement.

_No. Just no._

Butch, however, misunderstood her chuckling for mocking and he suddenly stopped walking and spun around to face her. Kaoru almost collided with him but she managed to stop just in time.

"What?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes, "I was just trying to be nice. If you don't like what I say, then just keep your opinions to yourself. No need to be such a prissy little brat."

"Excuse me? I wasn't even laughing at yo—"

"Oh, I doubt that."

"What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem?"

"Yes! All you ever do is berate me! I thought we were dating! I thought we were on good terms!"

"Damn it, Kaoru. You're so frustrating!"

She laughed, "Ha! _I'm_ frustrating? What about you, Mr. PMS?"

"Oh, how very original. And what are you? A child? Immature?"

There was a pause.

"Excuse me? A child? Butch, we could possibly be killed at any moment and here you are insulting me?"

He growled, "Don't be such a bi—" He stopped.

She gave him a frosty glare, "Oh, really?"

His expression softened, "No, Kaoru. That's not what I meant."

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure you meant it. So I'm childish and immature, huh? Fine. Have it your way." She pushed him away but he grabbed onto her wrist. "Damn it, Butch. Let me go."

"Not until we sort this out."

"There's nothing to sort out. You hate me. You think I'm such a child. Well, frankly, I think you're schizoid. You have a double personality and I hate you because one minute you act like you actually like me and then the next you're suddenly screaming at me from the top of your lungs."

"Don't put the blame on me. I don't know even know what I mean to you."

"I don't know what I mean to you either!" She sighed. "Let me go, Butch."

"I don't want to."

"I don't care."

"Good, because neither do I."

_"Butch."_

"Did I ever mention how much I love it when you say my name?"

"You're messing with me."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because if it were true, then you wouldn't say it."

"Maybe. Or maybe I said it because I know that you would never believe I would ever admit to such thing if it were true."

"Or maybe you're just trying to confuse me so I'll forget about this whole incident. You're talking in circles, you know."

"Talking in circles is a whole lot better than simply arguing in circles."

"Do you have a problem with the way I argue with you?"

"No, of course not. I love it when you yell my name."

She almost pulled her hair out in exasperation. "Let me go, Butch."

"What's the magic word?"

"Found you," said Natsuki as he grinned at the pair.

The two had been so immersed in their conversation, they hadn't even realised that they'd finally reached the end of the tunnel. And the end of the tunnel was the foyer of the building.

It seemed that Natsuki and his guards had been waiting for them.

_Crap._

* * *

**AN: Yup. Decided to bring back a little bit of the Greens because I feel like I've been torturing them enough. XD**

**I can assure you all that my normal humour routine will be returning in the next chapter. So you can all take a breather then. But for now, I'm going to let you simmer in suspense. On a sidenote, there are only two more chapters to go.**

**So review! :3**


	17. Twilight Dream Team

**AN: I have been planning this moment since I introduced 'Twilight' to this story. If you haven't guessed from the title of the chapter...well then, go ahead and read. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own '_A Drop in the Ocean_' by Ron Pope. But it sure is a cute song. n_n**

* * *

_**PART XVII:** Twilight Dream Team_

* * *

Natsuki gave an evil grin as he held his flesh-tearing blade high in the air. Light glinted and reflected off the smooth metal and flashed into Butch and Kaoru's eyes.

At that moment, two things happened at once.

Butch pushed Kaoru away from the blade.

Then there were screams and shouts from the guards.

"What the hell are you doing here? This is private property!" yelled one of the guards.

"How _dare_ you support Team Jacob!" yelled a female voice.

Natsuki faltered and so instead of his blade ripping through Butch's body in perfect symmetry as he intended, the blade cut vigorously down the length of his arm.

Butch hissed in pain and ducked down as the blade clattered onto the floor. Natsuki growled and reached for it, but then Kaoru kicked it away and threw him down to the floor.

Natsuki looked up, enraged, _"What the hell?"_

Kaoru positioned her foot on his neck, right under his chin. Leaning down towards his face, she said, "This is for trying to kill me, my family and my friends." Then she smacked him hard across the face.

Butch stood and held up Natsuki's blade, "Where the hell do you get these fuckers?"

"Blades R Us."

"Gotta be shitting me."

Then Kaoru and Butch looked up to see what had caused the chaos around them. Their jaws dropped.

They couldn't believe it.

Teenage girls dressed in a red t-shirt saying 'Team Edward' had come inside the building, yielding kitchenware and attacking the guards.

And Boomer was one of them.

He spotted Kaoru and Butch and waved at them, "Hey, guys! I called my best friends to come and help us! You remember the Twilight fangirls from the movie and from Starbucks, don't you?"

Honestly, Kaoru couldn't care less. She was glad to see Boomer alive and cheerful, so she ran and practically glomped him.

Butch frowned and muttered to himself, "Now, why doesn't she hug _me_ like that?" Then he walked over to the two.

"Boomer!" cried Kaoru.

"Hey, there, non-porn-watching-BFF. Oh, hey, bro."

Butch pointed to the fangirls, "Twilight? Really?"

Boomer nodded, "Yeah. They used to be called 'Twilight Girls'. But now that I've joined the group, we've decided to rename ourselves as the 'Twilight Dream Team'."

"Oh, for heaven's sake."

"You guys remember them, don't you? This is Fumiko, Ayame, Chisaki. Oh, there's Reika, over there. Then over there is Etsuko, Mayumi and Suzume. They're awesome."

"You're so gay."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

Their arguing was interrupted when police sirens could be heard from outside the building.

Butch looked excited, "Is that what I think it is?"

Boomer nodded, "The back-up team? Yeah. They finally got the warrant."

Kaoru looked confused, "Back-up team? Warrant?"

"We'll fill you in later."

"Alright then." She then noticed that Butch was clutching onto his left arm tightly and that there were blood stains on his shirt. Of course. He was injured. "Did you call an ambulance?"

"Dai did. The paramedics should be outside."

The police suddenly entered and the guards quickly dropped their guns and put their arms up. Natsuki growled, "YOU IDIOTS! I pay you to do one _simple task_ and you can't even do _that_ right! FINE! I'LL KILL KAORU MATSUBARA MYSELF!

"I don't think you'll be killing anyone, anytime soon, Mr. Urawa," said a woman who stood in a white lab coat. Kaoru guessed she was a psychiatrist of some sort. A police officer stood beside her.

Natsuki growled, "Get out! GET OUT!"

Kaoru looked confused, "What the hell is going on?" she muttered.

"I haven't got a clue," mumbled Butch.

"Natsuki, I want you to know that everything's fine. Just put down the weapon and we won't have to hurt you," soothed the psychiatrist.

"NO!" yelled Natsuki, "STOP TELLING ME LIES!" He was crying now and Kaoru was shocked. She couldn't imagine someone like Natsuki crying. And, yet, here he was.

Men in white scrubs came and tried to control Natsuki as he thrashed about. They finally sedated him and took him into the ambulance.

Kaoru stared for a while, not quite sure how to react, before she sighed. Well, at least Natsuki was out of the equation. Now Narushima was the only one left.

Speaking of which...

"Where's Narushima?" she asked.

"Oh. I locked him in a closet," replied Butch casually as they walked out of the building — as though this was some regular occurrence.

"Did you tell anyone that he's in there?"

"Yeah, the officers are probably getting him now."

"You know, I never really did say 'thank you for saving me'. Even though you were an asshat about it."

He grinned, "Yes, but I still helped save you nonetheless. Didn't I?"

"Hm, true."

"So where's my thank you?"

She rolled her eyes and stopped walking. After a moment's hesitation, she gently grabbed his shirt, pulling him down before she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

And as the flashing lights of blue and red surrounded them, Dai approached them and said, "Ew. Would you guys please refrain from doing that in front of me?"

They both pulled away from each other and Butch smirked, "We didn't invite you here. You're the one who came for the show."

"That's disgusting. Now, get away from my sister and quit fraternising with her. You need to get into the ambulance so we can take you to the hospital."

Butch sighed, "Dai, I'm perfectly fine."

Kaoru shook her head, "No, Butch. Dai's right. You're injured. Your arm might become infected. Get in the ambulance, I'll see you later in the hospital."

Butch reluctantly followed Dai to the paramedics as Momoko, Miyako and Brick approached Kaoru.

Momoko hugged Kaoru tightly, "Aw! We missed you so much!"

"Ack! Momoko! You're suffocating me."

Then Miyako rushed over and tightened the hug, "Oh, Kaoru! We thought you were dead!"

"Well, lucky for you guys that I'm not. Yeah?"

Momoko pulled away, a serious expression on her face, "What were you thinking?"

"What do you mean what was I thinking? No one told me I was going to die at midnight! I just went out for a walk! That's all! Speaking of midnight, what time is it?"

Miyako checked her watch. "3:26am. Why?"

Kaoru groaned, "It's a school night. Yesterday was Monday. Today's Tuesday. I had a lot of homework to do."

Momoko laughed, "I'm sure they'll excuse you for being taken hostage and for almost being murdered."

"Yeah. I'd love to see my teachers' faces when I tell them that."

"But the important thing is: you're alive."

"We _all_ are," Kaoru corrected her.

The three of them did a small group hug. Then Brick interrupted by clearing his throat, "Uh, mind if I talk to Kaoru?"

Momoko shook her, "No problem. Go ahead. We'll be in the car."

Miyako and Momoko walked away.

"Nice to see you alive," he said.

Kaoru chuckled, "Yeah, I've been getting that a lot."

"Butch and Dai were really worried. We almost thought we wouldn't make it."

"But you did."

He nodded smiling, "Yeah. We did." Then he frowned, "But I thought you should know something about Narushima."

"Yeah, I know. He's a thug. Found out too late."

He shook his head, "Not that. I was talking to my father about Dr. Narushima - you know, Naruo Narushima's father? - and at first he didn't want to tell me what happened. But then my father finally picked up the courage to talk to me about it. Apparently, after Dr. Narushima got fired, he took it pretty hard. He didn't want to do anything with his life anymore, he was pretty much ruined. Narushima was just three. He grew up with a depressed father. A father who was so depressed he couldn't give his own son any support. Then one day, he just killed himself."

"Shit. Suicide?"

"Yeah. I think Naruo Narushima believed that _we_ were the ones to blame. More precisely: our father. Then there's also the question of why Natsuki and Narushima were working together."

"I wondered that too."

"It seems that they're half-brothers."

"They... They're half-brothers?"

Brick nodded, "Natsuki and Narushima had the same mother. Their mother was married to Dr. Narushima but cheated on him and had an affair with Mr. Urawa."

"So Natsuki was born first."

"Yeah. A few months after his birth, Dr. Narushima realised that Natsuki wasn't his own son and that his wife had been cheating on him. He filed a divorce. But by then she was pregnant again and..."

"And then she had Naruo Narushima," said Kaoru softly.

"She died while giving birth to him. That means that Natsuki and Narushima are half-brothers. And apparently, they were only aware of this a few months ago. We don't know how, but it wouldn't be too hard to find your relations if you knew the right people."

"And because they both had the same motive and knew each other, they both worked together."

"Precisely."

There was silence before Kaoru muttered, "Wow. Good detective work, Brick."

He snorted, "Thanks."

Boomer approached them, "Well, guys. We all have to go to the hospital now for check-ups. The police are driving us up there. You coming or what?"

Brick and Kaoru rolled their eyes and followed him to the police cars.

* * *

"Lucky for us, we're not going to prison any time soon," said Butch as Kaoru told him to open his mouth.

It had been two weeks since the incident and Butch was sitting on his bed, propped up with pillows as Kaoru sat across from him, feeding him soup. Luckily, he hadn't been injured too badly and was now sporting a cast and a sling on his left arm.

"Good thing I'm right handed," he had said when he was allowed out of the hospital.

Kaoru blew the spoon to cool the soup before tipping it into his mouth.

"Mm, this is really good," he murmured, "You're a good cook."

"What were you saying about prison?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Well, since we owned up and our records are perfectly clean other than hacking into the empire. They realised that they didn't have much to pin on us. And the fact that we tried to make things right also meant that the lawyers were able to defend us perfectly."

"So you won the court case?"

"Like eating a slice of cheesecake."

She rolled her eyes and fed him another spoonful of soup. "What about the others?"

"The guards have got a criminal record. Narushima's been sent to the psychiatric ward for the time being since they don't really know what to do with him. They're getting him checked up. But if it were up to me, I probably would've thrown him into the sea."

"No you wouldn't. You're too nice for that."

"True. But I wouldn't have gone easy on him."

"And what about Natsuki?"

Butch sighed, "They've sent him off to Broadmoor Hospital in England. A mental asylum for the criminally insane. They're hoping he might recover at some point but..."

Kaoru felt goosebumps rise on her arms and rubbed her arms together. He noticed and leaned forward to wrap his uninjured arm around her waist as he pulled her into his chest.

"I'm alright, you know," she mumbled, carefully placing the bowl of soup on the bedside table.

He smiled against her skin and kissed her just behind her ear. "I know."

"I haven't been able to sleep at night."

"I know. I've heard you."

"You... You _heard_ me?"

"I was at your house two nights ago to see Dai. I went into your bedroom to check up on you. You were crying."

She frowned, "I don't remember that."

"You were half-asleep. I wouldn't be surprised. You were probably having a nightmare."

She sighed and leaned her head in between his neck and shoulder, "Probably."

He kissed her forehead, "You're not the only one."

"You too?"

"Nightmares? Yes. Crying? No."

"Shut up."

He chuckled, "I'm just stating the truth."

They sat in his bedroom in comfortable silence as he rocked her back and forth. It was evening so a red glow glazed through the drawn curtains and filtered into the room. It was almost peaceful. Almost.

"You don't think I'm traumatised, do you?"

He laughed, "Where did you get that idea?"

"You know my parents sent me to some psychologist. Apparently, they think I've become victimised and that I'll never be the same again."

"I find that hard to believe. You're still annoying."

"And you're still an asshole. But I'm being serious. Do you think I'm traumatised?"

He shook his head, "No. You're fine. If anything, I think you've improved."

"How?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"Well, you're less immature now. So that's got to count for something."

She punched him in the chest playfully, "Idiot!"

He grinned, "I want to ask you something."

She snorted, "Then ask."

"Would you like to go to the Formal with me?"

She stilled, "What?"

"You know, the Formal dance? Since my year-group is going to university next year, we're having a Formal. We can bring anyone we want. Money goes to charity."

"Aren't you the one with a broken arm? How are you going to dance?"

"Are you saying that you won't dance with me just because of a slight injury?"

She shook her head, "No. That's not it. Just..." She trailed off, looking nervous.

His grin suddenly grew wider, "You can't dance."

"What? No!"

"That's it, isn't it? You can't dance! You don't want to go to the Formal with me because you can't dance!"

"Butch!"

"I can teach you if you want."

Kaoru shook her head, "Dai tried before. I even went to dance class. Never worked."

Butch smirked, "That's because they're not like _me."_ Without waiting for a response, he got up from the bed and connected his iPod to an iPod dock. He selected a song and pulled Kaoru up from the bed.

"Butch, I—"

He shushed her and held her close to him, positioning her hands on his shoulders as he wrapped his uninjured arm around her waist.

"I would like to warn you that your feet are in serious danger," she muttered as the song started up.

She recognised this. The melody was soft but touching.

"Just follow my lead," he said as he stepped to his right and switched his footing before moving to the right again.

_A drop in the ocean;_

_A change in the weather._

_I was praying that you and me might end up together._

_It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert,_

_But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven._

Even with an arm in a cast he was flawless at this, Kaoru could tell. Had he had practise?

"How are you so good at this?" she asked.

He gave a shy smile, "I did ballet when I was a kid."

Somehow, the image of a young Butch in tights seemed funny and almost impossible. But at the same time, she found it cute.

_And still I can't let you be;_

_Most nights I hardly sleep;_

_Don't take what you don't need from me._

"Ow," he muttered.

"Ah, sorry. Maybe we should stop."

He shook the pain off his foot, "No. Keep going."

_Just a drop in the ocean;_

_A change in the weather._

_I was praying that you and me might end up together._

_It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert,_

_But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven._

A few more seconds into the song, she stepped on his foot again.

"Wow, you weren't kidding. You really can't dance."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"No, I'm trying to seduce you. Can't you tell?"

"Well, in that case, you're doing a wonderful job," she replied sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes, then said, "I see the problem. You're trying too hard."

She looked confused, "Excuse me?"

"You're trying way too hard to dance with the beat. You're stiff, I can feel your arms tense. You're not really letting go. You're way too nervous, that's why you keep going out of beat."

He then turned her around and wrapped his arm around her waist again. The arm in the sling gently brushed her shoulder.

"Let's try it this way. Since you're not looking at me, you'll be able to dance better. Now, close your eyes."

"But then I can't see wh—"

"Just close your eyes."

She sighed, "Fine. Better?"

"Much. Now, I want you to forget about your footsteps. Just listen to the music and move."

Neither of them said a word as the music played and they danced. The first minute, Kaoru did step on his feet a few times. But after a while, she finally relaxed and stepped along with the music. Then they tried face-to-face dancing and Butch guided.

"Wow, ballet is more useful than I thought."

He smiled, "So are Twilight fangirls."

She laughed and when the music finally stopped, so did they.

"See? You're not a bad dancer. Albeit, you're quite obviously not the best."

"Gee. Thanks. You sure know how to make a woman feel good."

"Don't mention it. So is that a 'yes'?"

"For what?"

"Will you go to the Formal with me?"

"You just said I wasn't a very good dancer."

"Yeah, but then you have to take my broken arm into consideration. I'm pretty sure the amount of bad dancing going on between the two of us will eventually balance everything out," he said with aplomb. "Don't you know that two negatives make a positive?"

She rolled her eyes, "The rules of mathematics don't apply to dancing. But since you tried so hard to teach me how to dance... Alright then. I'll go to the Formal with you."

"I'm glad you accepted, because I already bought the tickets."

"Butch!"

* * *

**AN: I'm so sorry to any Team Jacob fangirls out there. If it makes you feel any better, I'm on neither team, so... Pfsh. XD**

**But the shenanigans don't end just there. There's still the epilogue! ;D**

**_"I be trollin', and they be hatin'~."_**


	18. Love and Radiance

**AN: It's the epilogue~! I decided to do this from Kaoru's POV, just for the heck of it. There's fluff going on here because even the Greens need their share of sappy moments. So don't you dare go soft on me, you hear? XD**

* * *

_**PART XVIII:** Love and Radiance_

* * *

I woke up to the sight of sunlight pouring through the windows and filtering through the blinds. I groaned and shifted, noticing that something was restricting me. I lifted the cover up slightly to see an arm wrapped around my waist.

Oh. Right. _He_ was here.

I felt his hot breath tickling my ear as he whispered, "Good morning, Sunshine."

I smiled, even though he couldn't see me, and said softly, "Good morning."

He pressed his lips gently against my exposed neck as he pulled me in tighter into his arms. He and I had been together for about three years. And over those three years, I realised that there was no other place where I would feel as safe as I did in his arms.

He began to pepper soft kisses down the back of my neck as he trailed down to my upper back. I sighed in content. He brushed his fingers over my bare shoulders and ran them across the curves of my torso.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured in between his kissing.

My eyes widened and I flushed, realising what he was talking about. I could feel his smirk against my skin. That asshole. I couldn't believe he was bringing last night up.

"Sore, obviously," I grumbled, frowning, "No thanks to you."

I heard him chuckle before he trailed his kisses up my back once again. "Hm, true." He ran a hand over my hip and down the outside of my thigh, then he sighed, "Sorry. I didn't mean for it to hurt."

I shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. Though, I really wasn't supposed to feel so funny talking about things like that. It was normal. Wasn't it? Or was I feeling this way because it was him? Because he was the first one to…

I shook my head, "It's fine. I don't mind." That was true. I didn't mind one bit. If it was going to be anyone, I would rather it be him.

He smiled against my neck before kissing it again. His hand ran back up and over my stomach. It was amazing of how I could feel so warm and fuzzy with him like this.

His breath tickled my ear again as he whispered, "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I know this sounds strange coming from me. But I mean it. I mean every single word. I love you. I hope you know that."

I stayed silent for a moment. Those words felt strange. Not because they seemed cheesy, but because that was exactly how I felt about him. And those three words? They seemed insignificant to me when I was younger. I always wondered why Momoko and Miyako obsessed about them. Now I knew. Because those three words meant the world to me right now.

I turned around to face him. Smiling, I replied, "I love you, too." And I meant it.

He looked surprised for a few seconds before a wide grin — the one I was so familiar with — spread across his face and he pressed his lips to mine. I didn't push him away. And I didn't protest. It was soft. Sweet. Blissful. He pulled away and then stared at me for a long moment.

"I don't think the colour of my eyes are going to change anytime soon, Butch. Sorry to disappoint you," I said, sarcastically.

He laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll quit staring at you." He was about to lean in for another kiss but then the doorbell rang. He sighed and clicked his tongue, "I'll get it."

He pulled the covers away and got up. I turned away when I realised he wasn't wearing anything.

I heard him laughing from behind me, "You didn't mind me being naked last night."

I grabbed his pillow and hurled it at him, "You jackass!"

He easily dodged the pillow and I closed my eyes, hearing him still laughing at me. I heard him shuffle around the room, looking for his clothes no doubt. A few seconds later, I felt his fingers running through my hair so I opened my eyes. He was dressed in jeans but he hadn't bothered to put on a top, so he was pretty much shirtless.

I frowned, "If you think that's going to turn me on, you're wrong."

He rolled his eyes, "Honestly, Kaoru. Do you think my life long dream is to become a sleaze?"

"Why dream? You already are one."

He winked, "Touché." I can't believe it. He didn't even bother denying it! "I'll be back up soon."

With that, he walked across the landing and down the stairs. I yawned and kicked the covers off, getting out of bed. I looked around our normally-tidy bedroom. It was a mess. There were extra pillows and bed sheets strewn over the floor, and clothes were scattered everywhere.

I began searching for my clothes quickly. I didn't want to be seen naked by Butch when he came back. He'd probably tease me about last night again. _Damn him._

I finally found my black t-shirt on the floor at the same time Butch opened the front door downstairs and I pulled it over my head.

The two of us went to university in Osaka, we both lived in a modern two-floor studio house. A gift from the family. It was nice living here, we had a great view of the city, it was so much more different from Tokyo City.

Momoko, Brick, Miyako and Boomer were still in Tokyo. Momoko worked in the dramatic arts, so she would be up in theatre most nights. It turned out that she got recognised in acting at the senior play in her last year of school. She was now pretty much known by the entire city. No one dared to mention that Brick was the one who sent the talent agency to the school play.

Boomer, however, got noticed at one of the fashion shows that he attended three months before school ended. There was a problem backstage and he made a last minute outfit that pretty much stunned the audience. Apparently, Miyako had been there too and modelled the outfit. They got married a year later and had both co-created a fashion line together.

It was pretty much a happy ending for all of them, and I couldn't wish them any better. Brick and Boomer were great guys, both were perfect for my two best friends, they were like brothers to me. Not to mention, they were also my boyfriend's brothers. The three of them were different from each other, but I guess that's what I liked so much about them.

When I finished putting on the t-shirt, I realised that it was much larger than my body frame. Oh, shit. This wasn't my t-shirt. This was Butch's. I must've lifted the wrong one. At that moment, Butch walked up to the landing and noticed that I was wearing his top.

He grinned.

_Oh, for heaven's sake!_

"If I'd known that you would miss me so much that you'd put on my t-shirt, I would've come upstairs sooner."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I thought it was _my_ top, you idiot." And with that, I began to pull it off.

"Wait! No. Don't take it off, I like you wearing my top. It's fine."

I frowned for a bit but then shrugged it off, "Who was at the door?"

"Just the postman. We got mail."

"Yipee," I muttered, crawling back onto the bed.

He snorted and flicked through the envelopes in his hand. Most of the letters we got were usually for him, anyway. "Oh, here's one for you."

I looked surprised, "Really? Who's it from?"

He shrugged, "I have no idea. It doesn't say."

He passed the letter to me and I took it. There was nothing written on the envelope, except for my name, of course. Turning away from Butch who was busy fiddling with something, I slowly opened it.

It was a card. On the front was a picture of a diamond. It was small and green and at the centre of the cover. The background was simply white. There was nothing written on the card though, so I couldn't tell what it was. Curious, I opened up the card and began to read:

_'Dear Kaoru,_

_We've been dating for three years, our anniversary is today. Can you believe it? I love having you around. I love having you beside me. I love having you to talk to. I just love _you_. I don't think you'll ever believe me when I say how lucky I am to have someone like you. __I couldn't ask for anyone else. You're everything I want…and much more. You're more than what I could ever hope for. I love you. I really do. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you._

_Will you marry me?'_

My eyes widened and I turned around to find Butch leaning down on the ground, holding out a small box. But what shocked me even more was the diamond ring inside. Okay, I was officially stunned. I think my brain might have been fried because I couldn't comprehend everything as fast as it was happening.

Butch gave a nervous grin. I think that was probably the first time I had ever seen him this nervous. "Uh, it's pretty cliché, I know. But it's the thought that counts, right?"

I just sat there in silence, letting my brain register what was going on.

He must've thought I was going to reject him because he sighed and said, "Um, it's okay. You don't have to say 'yes', I'm not pressuring you. Maybe this was a bit too sudden… Uh, I'm sorry—"

"Yes," I said.

He looked confused at first, "Wait, what?"

"Yes, I'll marry you." And then I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck.

He seemed stunned for a moment before he returned the embrace. "I love you," he murmured into my hair.

"I know, I know. You've told me a thousand times."

"I have? Huh. Well, what does another one count for?"

I rolled my eyes.

And we stayed like that for some time. Holding each other, talking, laughing. Oh, we also made some popcorn in the late afternoon and ate it while discussing a few books. Later in the evening, I phoned my parents to tell them about our engagement.

Mum was literally over the moon. She sounded ecstatic on the phone and Butch laughed at my shocked expression when my mother mentioned kids. After that little episode, I turned the speaker off and spoke to my dad. He was…hysterical. I didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Mostly because all I could hear was him crying while mum tried to comfort him. He was never really fond of Butch, to be honest.

Butch phoned Brick after my call. They talked about…well, I don't know. I don't actually listen into other people's conversations unlike Butch. He handed the phone to me, saying that Momoko wanted to talk. Great. Just great.

"Hey, Momo—"

_"Ah! Kaoru! I'm so happy for you guys!"_

"Uh…thanks. How are you?"

_"Cut the formality, Kaoru. Tell me how he did it!"_

"How he did what?"

Feeling my face heat up, I could imagine Momoko rolling her eyes on the other side of the phone, _"I mean, how did he propose to you?"_

Oh, God! For a second I even considered that she was talking about last night... We talked for quite some time, mostly about wedding arrangements, much to my dismay. Suddenly, the phone was taken out of my hands, "Hey!"

Butch smirked at me and then talked to Momoko, "Sorry, but Kaoru's gotta go."

I rolled my eyes as he hung up, "Was that really necessary?"

He shrugged, "I just wanted some time alone with you."

"Oh."

He leaned in close to me, one of his arms above me, trapping me against the wall. We were both sitting down on the floor, yet he was still probably a head taller than me.

"W-what are you—"

He pressed his lips against mine, making me forget what I'd been about to say. I felt something on my finger so I pulled away from him and looked down. He was sliding the ring onto my finger. Once he put it on, he examined it.

Smiling, he said, "Hm, perfect size."

I looked at it too. "It's going to be strange knowing that I'm engaged. Especially to…_you_," I said, with mock disgust.

He smirked once again, "You really are one difficult woman to please. Although, I do know one way to plea— _OW!" _He rubbed his stomach where I had hit him.

"Why do you always have to act like such a sleaze?"

He grinned, "It's my life-long dream, remember?" he winked at me.

I snorted. Even after this, I guess we were both still the same. And honestly. I couldn't have it any other way. He was my best friend. My partner. My life.

_My radiance._

* * *

**AN: That's it. That's Make & Break over and done with.**

**Since this will be my first year of college, don't expect to find me around FanFiction that much. I'll probably be around during the Halloween or Christmas holidays? Who knows. I'm concentrating on my studies for now, since the first year is probably the most important. XD**

**And I—**

**Seriously, guys. Did you think I was just going to leave you all depressed? Here's a little snip of what happens after they've married and graduated from university. ;)**

* * *

Butch sighed as he stared at himself in the mirror, "Sunsine…"

"Yes?" she asked as she got out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel.

"Can you help me?"

She teased, "Again?"

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, again."

She walked over to him and pulled him down a bit, holding onto his tie, "You really should learn how to tie this, you know."

"Why do I need to learn when I have you to do it for me?"

"You're hopeless."

"Am not."

"Would you like the four-in-hand knot? The windsor? Or perhaps something more exotic, like the eldredge knot?"

He smirked, "You say that like you think I know about all this."

"You should."

"Hm… Surprise me."

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more as she began to knot his tie. She tried not to notice the way he kept his gaze steady on her eyes as she concentrated. She also tried not to notice the way he delicately held her by the waist as her arms were propped up against his chest.

When she finished, she said, "The trinity knot."

He pressed a kiss to her temple, "Impressive."

"Hurry up and get ready. We have work."

"I don't mind being late," he murmured.

She rolled his eyes, "But unlike you, I actually have a boss to answer to. I can't be late, so let me go."

"You smell really nice."

"Butch…" she threatened.

He sighed, releasing her from his arms, "Fine."

She walked over to the closet and began searching through the many clothes.

"Client gender?"

She rolled her eyes, "Butch, I thought we talked about this."

"I don't want guys staring at you!"

"Are you saying you're jealous?"

"Of course not," he mumbled, "You have the ring to prove it. I just don't want guys looking at you like that."

"Honey, it's a job requirement. I'm supposed to look professional."

"Can't you look professional in men's clothes?"

Kaoru gave him a look.

Butch sighed, "Fine. But if he even asks you for your number…"

"I promise I will disregard him as a client."

"And…?"

"And I will promptly give his ass a swift kick."

"Two kicks."

"Roger that."

"Oh, no. Kaoru. Not _that."_

"What's wrong with this?"

"Come on! _That_ dress? Really?"

"I thought you liked this dress. You're the one who told me to buy it."

"Yeah, because it makes you look sexy."

She looked confused, "Butch, I don't see the problem."

"That _is_ the problem. It's supposed to turn _me_ on — don't get me wrong, it seriously does — but I don't want other guys getting horny seeing you like this."

"You must be joking."

"No, darling, I'm not. You can ask my dick right now if you'd like."

She threw her towel at him.

* * *

**AN: Guys, thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, favs and follows. When I started this challenge, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into. But you all made it worthwhile, and trust me when I say that I actually had so much fun writing this story. And it was only fun because you guys were there to share it with me. *cue the melodramatic sniffles***

**And _Dejiko001_ is pretty much this story's fairy godmother. Without her, _Make & Break_ would still be a pumpkin. Well, actually, more like a butternut squash. But you know what I mean. Thank you, my little American friend! I love you even if you don't wear bikini tops and daisy dukes like Katy Perry said you would. X3**

**And with that said, I can finally end this story with a cliché '_The End_'. 8D**


End file.
